Scorpion's six weapons stations are designed to carry a range of precision munitions such as Hellfire, JDAM and air-to-air missiles. (Photo: Business Wire)
Posted on 07/04/2014 10:12:41 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Textron AirLand's new military jet prototype, the twin-engine Scorpion, is breezing through the development phase and is now ready to make its international debut. With more than 105 hours of flight-testing on its prototype, the Wichita, Kansas-based company plans to send the Scorpion on its way on a multi-day, 4,700-nm flight from Wichita to RAF Fairford-Gloucestershire today. The prototype will be shown off to potential customers attending the Farnborough International Airshow and The Royal International Air Tattoo, both set to take place in the United Kingdom in the middle of this month.
Textron AirLand president Bill Anderson said the airplane is flying "extremely well," has exhibited great reliability and has exceeded the targeted 450-knot top speed, showing speeds as fast as 455 knots TAS. He is confident that the light jet can make it across the Atlantic; however, to minimize the exposure to overwater legs, the Scorpion's flight path will proceed over Greenland and Iceland.
The Scorpion is designed with a variety of missions in mind, such as maritime patrol; close air support; border security; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike missions and bombing missions, with attach points for air-to-air missiles, guns and bombs. The basic design provides protection from small arms fire, but Anderson said there is plenty of space in the cockpit for additional armor, should a customer feel the need.
Textron AirLand was confident enough in its idea that it launched the program without a customer. With a price tag of $20 million and an operating cost below $3,000 per hour (numbers that may seem high to piston pilots but are a fraction of the cost of an F-16 or F-18), as well as good performance numbers and versatility, Anderson said the program has seen a lot of interest both domestically and internationally. While no contracts have been signed, there are several customers that have gone past initial discussions. "We have changed from talking about if we get an order to when we get an order," Anderson said.
Details of the location of a potential production facility will be nailed down once a contract is in hand, Anderson said. But with the incorporation of Beechcraft and its facilities into the Textron family, there should be plenty of real estate to work with.
Read more at http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/scorpion-jet-makes-international-debut#DzFrfKfOX5ykvw6A.99
Scorpion's six weapons stations are designed to carry a range of precision munitions such as Hellfire, JDAM and air-to-air missiles. (Photo: Business Wire)
Or are we going to see local police departments getting these to target crack houses. :)
what niche is this jet targeting? can’t be anything related’to actual warfare dogfighting, only being able’to fly 523mph, max.
Is the photo a trainer variant of is this a two-seater aircraft? Thanks for posting this.
never mind, saw the relevant paragraph.
Can it take the place of the A-10?
Don’t think so.
That is one maneuverable looking bad boy.
Isn’t “Scorpion” a racist name?
this would make one heck of a personal aircraft (de-milled or not)
Only if it's a BLACK Scorpion
The target is patrol and light attack support. Ironically it was designed for border security in the lesser stable parts of the world. But mostly to be an affordable light attack jet where the expense and firepower of current fighters, with $200,000,000 price tags, is not required.
Do me a favor. Order a couple of these. It would be a very good year for me. My shop is a contract vendor for Textron.
How about a RED Scorpion? Would that be racist, too?
Absolutely, in this case the only color that would not racist is White, hows that for a change?
Looks like the perfect plane for tin pot dictators in third world nations.
Looks like the perfect platform to fight the last war and coin operations where the adversary is armed with rocks.
At least it has canted vertical stabilizers. That looks really modern and anti-radar like stuff, things, sort of.
It should make a magnificent platform to suppress any tea party.
At least they did it with their own money, I guess.
Gotta be Scorpion II. There has already been a Scorpion, the F-89.
Interceptor circa mid 50s.
Like the A-10 right? It’s an attack aircraft, built for range, loiter time and engaging tactical targets.
It would be fantastic for any situation where top tier air defenses are not present or are avoidable.
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