Posted on 04/11/2018 4:20:05 PM PDT by gaijin
The new JT15D-5 turbofan-powered "401 Jet" of Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif is a small, stealthy, single-engine jet variation on the very novel, 30 year-old "Ares" light attack jet. Never having entered production, Ares was actually an acronym, standing for Agile Responsive Effective Support:
Experts note that the X401 would have piloted and drone versions, leading to speculation that the pair could work together synergistically in a "loyal wingman" arrangement, possibly with some form of laser or directed energy weapon occupying the weapons bay, partially visible in the landing flare photo below.
A 6-minute YouTube vid explains more about the X401 in the first comment below.
Exactly.
People are missing the point, sort of.
I, too, adore the beefy, low-tech muscle of the A-10.
But this thing is a totally different animal:
I’d wager that even the drones that go in closer (after the command from the sole piloted nearby a/c) would probably stand-off a little and maybe use directed energy, or something small like Spike, or APKWS.
I think the real future lethality is in intensive digital platform teamwork.
“I don’t trust the establishment to design something better from scratch.....”
Especially if you want it in this century for less than a billion dollars a copy!!!!!
I don't know. Both the Germans and Americans fielded planes with 75mm cannon. (Compare that to the 57mm big gun on some of the US warships today.)
Nah, doesn’t cut the mustard.
We need two engines and a much more sturdy backbone. (wings etc)
The A-10 was a sturdy two engine overpowered aircraft that could limp home with massive damage.
The A-10 plans weren’t lost - they were destroyed by order of Congress.
“It looks so fragile that if the pilot sneezed it’ll blow the wings off and eject the pilot.”<——- What he sad.
How practical would it be to try to replace A10 parts with improved 3D printed parts?
I understand that even titanium is now available as a feeder for 3D printing.
At least we still have the repair manuals - for now.
It would seem possible to reverse engineer A10's. If there was a desire to do so by the Air Force. I suspect there isn't.
“an AK could bring it down”
Lol!
I was thinking thoughts like that too!
I think the real issue is going up against ‘near peer’ adversaries as opposed to terrorists hiding in a cave. And the Russians are armed with Tunguska’s and advanced integrated Air defenses.
There is no way an A-10 would survive against a Russian Air Defence battalion. Be that as it may, stealth and hypersonics and standoff weapons will be the only real answer..
We needed to replace the wings on the A-10s in the last decade.
It was cheaper for Boeing to design a brand new wing to meet or beat the same original performance requirements than to try to replicate the originals.
The A-10C re-wing and avionics upgrades have extended the life of the aircraft.
3D metal printed parts have some issues - sometimes they weigh more or aren’t as sturdy as regular machined/forged parts. 3D printed parts aren’t that widespread in aviation as of yet.
This isn’t an A-10 replacement. It’s to fill the role of the OV-10 for lighter air support missions that don’t need the heavy tank killer A-10. Also, smaller craft like this can be air-transported in kits and taken where they’re needed instead of having to be ferried over.
Actually, the war in Ukraine has shown that something like the A-10 should be reasonably survivable in such an environment - remember, the A-10’s mission is not to be the penetrator aircraft. It’s designed to follow the Wild Weasels in after their SEAD mission has been performed to savage enemy tank formations.
The Air Force seems to have had a change of heart about the A-10 after discovering in simulations and exercises that it was particularly effective when paired with the F-35. Such pairings are said to have tested out as unusually successful in retrieving downed pilots. Cynically, one might even say that the A-10 has a new mission: helping save the F-35.
My thoughts too - the A-10 is a hardened air-frame with a Titanium tub for a cockpit - and will fly with half a wing blown off...this looks like it would kill the pilot in hopes of getting off easy as it ran away...
Oh, and which of these two aircraft pick up a downed pilot, the F35? Does the pilot climb onto a wing, or does he hide out in a wheel well? Or does that mission still have to be done by the lowly contemptible not to be seen anywhere near my budget helicopter.
<——- What he she said
Duly noted.
:)
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