Ground testing is under way of an all-new jet-powered
tactical strike aircraft designed to perform “lower-threat
battlefield and homeland security missions” pitched at
cash-strapped militaries across the globe.
Cessna parent Textron has teamed with AirLand Enterprises,
forming a joint venutre, Textron AirLand, to develop the Scorpion,
with first flight anticipated later this year, it says.
forming a joint venutre, Textron AirLand, to develop the Scorpion,
with first flight anticipated later this year, it says.
Development work on the programme started in January
2012 with the aiming building the “world’s most
affordable tactical jet aircraft”, says Textron chairman and chief
executive Scott Donnelly.
2012 with the aiming building the “world’s most
affordable tactical jet aircraft”, says Textron chairman and chief
executive Scott Donnelly.
“We relied on commercial best practices to develop a tactical
jet platform with flexibility and capabilities found only in far more
costly aircraft,” he says.
jet platform with flexibility and capabilities found only in far more
costly aircraft,” he says.
The Scorpion is designed to accommodate the increasingly
stringent budget constraints of the US Department of Defense and
partner nations, it says, with its mission profile matched to those
performed by the US Air National Guard.
stringent budget constraints of the US Department of Defense and
partner nations, it says, with its mission profile matched to those
performed by the US Air National Guard.
Configured with canted tails and largely unswept wings which
span 14.4m (47ft 4in), the Scorpion features and all-composite
fuselage, internal payload bay and wing-mounted hardpoints for
“precision and non-precision munitions” Production costs have
been kept to a minimum “by leveraging systems developed for
Cessna business jet platforms, common technology and
manufacturing resources” according to the Scorpion’s
marketing materials.
span 14.4m (47ft 4in), the Scorpion features and all-composite
fuselage, internal payload bay and wing-mounted hardpoints for
“precision and non-precision munitions” Production costs have
been kept to a minimum “by leveraging systems developed for
Cessna business jet platforms, common technology and
manufacturing resources” according to the Scorpion’s
marketing materials.
Power comes from a pair of turbofan engines producing
8,000lb thrust (35.6kN)
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