Textron Scorpion Closer to First Flight

a reply to: buddah6

After thinking about it for a minute, but doesn't the Scorpion look like the A9 that was the competition for the Warthog? I can't remember who built it...Grumman I think.

originally posted by: buddah6
a reply to: _Del_

BTW, what ever happened to the CAS turboprop program. Last year, I saw a AT6 close up and was amazed with it's technology. I guess that would be easy for a old Mohawk driver...lol.

It was won by the Super Tucano. Havent heard much since. I thought it was going to be purchased by the Afghans, but a quick look said not yet.
Still remember my first look at a Mohawk...

a reply to: _Del_

Del, I think the Afghans bought Su 25s for their CAS operations. The Frogfoot is a much tougher bird than the Tucano and I would bet it's cheaper too. I think that the Iraqi AF had Su 25s prior to Desert Storm so they have experience with this bird.

I enjoyed flying the Mohawk when it was clean without hanging SLAR or gas tanks on it . At about 15000 pounds its a little sports car. The only bad things were sitting on the ejection seat on long flights and it was bug ugly. I flew one from Georgia to Arizona and I didn't walk right for a few days...lol.

a reply to: buddah6

Iraq bought some. Haven't heard anything out of the Afghans other than that they want F-16s and tanks, and we keep telling them that even if we gave them away literally, they cannot afford to operate them, and we're not paying to keep them running.

a reply to: _Del_

Del, Did they buy the CAS version or trainer?

a reply to: buddah6

I meant Iraq bought the Frogfoot. Super Tucano has quite a few customers though

originally posted by: buddah6
a reply to: Zaphod58

You know that Cessna wouldn't have built this thing unless they have a market. Could the Scorpion be competing for the T38 replacement? I can't see Cessna inventing money in this financial environment on a project without a goal in mind.

originally posted by: _Del_
a reply to: buddah6

I don't think it's flashy enough to meet the T-X requirements.Though they did mention they designed the wing box to be easily replaced and that they have studied a swept wing...

In a "shows you how little Del knows" moment, Textron announced they are designing a new wing and looking at upgraded engines to get a T-X prototype into the air in time for the RFP.

The Air Force plans to issue a request for proposals in the third quarter of fiscal 2016 for the T-X program. Before that request comes out, Textron intends to have a model of its trainer variant up and flying to prove that it can meet Air Force requirements.

www.defensenews.com...



Earlier in the month Textron got permission to fly the Scorpion with the Kansas National Guard exercise providing real-time ISR in disaster-recovery simulations. As noted elsewhere, it probably didn't hurt that the plane came off the assembly line in Kansas and that the Guard is one of the potential customers. Textron provided the missions at no cost to the Guard and all parties seemed to be happy with the result.
www.digitaljournal.com...

a reply to: _Del_

Scorpion arrived at Washington's Reagan airport today for show-n-tell. I followed it on a flight following website from Providence,RI to DCA...is it slow! I never saw any speed over 300 kts.

a reply to: buddah6

Well, it's cruising not sprinting They've clocked her at 455kts, but that's the sprint. If it's carrying a wide variety of stores for the AFA show-and-tell, then that's probably going to eat up a lot of your excess speed.

Thought id share my pic of one of these when I went to an airshow. Unfortunately it didn't do a display but saw it take off when it was leaving so only really had a chance to take a pic of it on the ground. I through it was an awesome little plane

I really like this jet. I think the guard would love to have it as a light attack CAS aircraft with isr as well. But I have a feeling they won't get it.

a reply to: boomer135

Cessna wouldn't have built it with how tight the defense dollar is today without some inside information.

It certainly has possibilities. I wished that it would have been around when the army retired the OV-1 Mohawk.

a reply to: buddah6

A Guard or even Coast Guard buy would definitely help with export sales as well. I don't know if they'll get it or not, but they've been trying, and there is definitely interest. Doing things like the Guard exercise in Kansas doesn't hurt. Trying to squeeze that money out from all the other established projects right now is going to be hard. Especially when essentially everything the aircraft can do mission-wise, is pretty well covered by the high-end UAVs like Reaper, Avenger, etc already in service.

a reply to: _Del_

Besides the one Avenger tested in Afghanistan has the DoD bought any more of them?

a reply to: Sammamishman

There is more than one...

a reply to: _Del_

The interesting part of the equation is that the man is being put back in the cockpit. It would seem to be counter to the prevailing wisdom in the Pentagon. To have a manned ISR aircraft for long,boring and dangerous missions is a big reversal of the direction the military was going.

Another consideration is the concept of carrying a load of small diameter guided bombs where large heavy loads are not required anymore. This means a lighter airframe to haul smaller ordinance to the target. An airplane like the Scorpion might fill the bill for something like this. Like I said, Cessna isn't going to invest big bucks without some return. This may indeed be a replacement for the Warthog. Light, cheap and simple...I'll buy that!

If it was an a10 replacement then it would need big time changes though...like a 30 mm cannon built in. Lol

a reply to: boomer135
I don't think that there will ever be a true one for one replacement for the Warthog! The A10 was a big f'king gun with an airplane built around it. It was a once per generation bird like the Mustang, Sabre and Phantom.

The Scorpion could carry a 30mm gun but it would be like the low recoil Aden cannon used on the Harrier. It would be a "bolt on gun" in a ventrical position using the sensor bay as a magazine. Gotta remember the Scorpion is a light weight.

The USAF general were thinking light weight fighters when they bought the F-16s so this approach is not new or novel. Now all that needs to be done is to buy a thousand or so!

Another thought, it may be an mini AWAC for UAVs. The guy in the back seat could direct UAVs from one hot spot to another kinda like an airborne combat controller.

a reply to: _Del_
I agree! He was probably flying at an economical cruise speed where he's burning those $6 per gallon of JP4 sparingly.

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Thought id share my pic of one of these when I went to an airshow. Unfortunately it didn't do a display but saw it take off when it was leaving so only really had a chance to take a pic of it on the ground. I through it was an awesome little plane

Do you know if has the ability to do aerial refueling (self deployable) or was it shipped to the UK?