Textron AirLand’s $20 million Scorpion Light Attack Armed Reconnaissance gains momentum with possible landing of a launch customer.
Bill Anderson, president of Textron AirLand Enterprises, LLC, (Static A4) is smiling as though he were an expectant father with the announcement that he expects to compete Scorpion in an upcoming light attack armed reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft competition for a “Pacific Rim nation” later this month. The LAAR contract winner could be announced as early as this year’s fourth quarter.
The aircraft is also generating interest in South America, where Textron brought it to a forward operating base. Scorpion is the only $20 million LAAR competitor that has twin turbofan engines and a 79-cubic-ft. internal payload bay. The firm also claims that it can be operated for $3,000 per hour, including $1,000 per hour for fuel and parts.
Textron is talking with Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Exelis about an active electronically scanned array radar that can be integrated in the front of the aircraft. “We understand the complexities and what it would take to do that,” says Anderson.
ShowNews walked around the aircraft at Salon du Bourget with chief pilot Dan “Shaka” Hinson, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot with 500 carrier landings and an AT-6 Wolverine test pilot.
Hinson explained that holding Scorpion’s cost to below $20 million was made possible by using or adapting parts and technologies already proven on business jets. Other than the custom landing gear, built in house by Textron’s Cessna division, most other components were commercial off the shelf. The twin 4,000-lb. thrust class Honeywell TFE731-40 turbofans, for instance, power the Bombardier Learjet 70/75 and Gulfstream G150. They were selected for their efficiency, reliability and ability to withstand repeated 6G to 8G loads.
The hydraulically boosted elevators and ailerons use power control actuators adapted from Cessna Citation X. The pitot static system originated with Citation M2. The flap actuators came from Citation XLS. TCAS, TAWS and wing plus horizontal stabilizer leading edge anti-ice systems also came off of production business jets.
Martin Baker furnished COTS Mark 16 ejection seats. Pacific Scientific provided the bubble canopy. Cockpit displays came from Genesis [formerly Chelton]. L3 provided other avionics systems.
“We went from zero to first flight in 23 months,” Anderson said. Textron AirLand may secure its first contract within 24 months of Hinson’s first flight in the aircraft.