AirLand Scorpion

[Condi]

Has anyone seen this, and what do they think? Privately funded military jet project with the aim of costing $20m a unit and $3000/hour flying cost, mainly in the ISR and ground-attack roles. Looks a bit thrown together, but I think I can see the market for it. Do we need $100m aircraft costing $20,000/hour to drop bombs on terrorists, or has the development of drones already meant the project is outdated?

Be interesting to see anyway;
http://www.scorpionjet.com/

[ecsrobin]

It was on show at RIAT great looking aircraft and a great idea hopefully it does well.

[Shar2]

That looks kinda cool. Hope it does well.

[MartG]

And it's not as if the manufacturer is new to the business, like one or two previous attempts at a privately developed military aircraft, so could achieve more success than they did

[WelshChris]

Here's a photo of it that I took at Fairford on Sunday - nice looking aircraft...

[Hooli]

It's not ugly and it can actually fly, who's gonna buy rather than the f35? Lol

[PRTVR]

What are the advantages over say a upgraded trainer like a Hawk ? Having two engines to maintain must be more expensive than one or does the cost to maintain civilian engines offset the number.

[tog]

Thanks for posting this - I'd never heard of it, but have been very confused that I couldn't identify the small jet that flew over a couple of days ago...

[ukaskew]

What are the purchase and running costs like compared to say, Iraq recently buying 5 'used' Russian jets? I wondered if something like this was a viable option compared to buying old used stuff.

[Jollyclub]

So these are being marketed as a much cheaper alternative to using 4th/5th Generation aircraft for Close Air Support/Counter Insurgency type operations.

The Senate blocking the retirement of the A-10 kind of proves there is demand for such an aircraft.

I guess these significantly outperform the Super Tucano? They would have to at almost twice the unit cost, with higher operating costs.

[Hooli]

Now I'm on a proper screen not my phone I've realised it's a F-14 that's mated with a glider.

[SydneyBridge]

was reading this earlier- very interesting and hope they get some buyers this week

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28260781

[Condi]

Jollyclub said:

I guess these significantly outperform the Super Tucano? They would have to at almost twice the unit cost, with higher operating costs.

More hard points, large load bay, faster, etc. I suspect at twice the price its probably twice the aircraft. While it wont go head to head with any 4h or 5th gen fighter there are a lot of areas of the world where this type of thing will be the best thing in the sky, and so you get relatively cheap superiority. It will surely be better than 1960s and 1970s Russian things?

[Condi]

Hooli said:

Now I'm on a proper screen not my phone I've realised it's a F-14 that's mated with a glider.

Agreed. The wings look really stupid. Why are they straight rather than swept, or is that all Cessena had in their junk bin?

[mrloudly]

Well I saw it at RIAT. STOL and vertical climb! Strap the same munitions on as any other aircraft, what's the difference.....

[davepoth]

Condi said:

Hooli said:

Now I'm on a proper screen not my phone I've realised it's a F-14 that's mated with a glider.

Agreed. The wings look really stupid. Why are they straight rather than swept, or is that all Cessena had in their junk bin?

If it's subsonic, there's little point sweeping them back. Having straight wings gives good shortfield performance and manoeuvrability, as well as more room for hanging munitions.

Added to that (and this is probably the big thing) a straight wing conventionally built with a longitudinal spar is going to be much simpler to build than a swept one.

Edited by davepoth on Tuesday 15th July 19:46

[IanMorewood]

Who would have thought it, there's a market for an updated BAE Strikemaster equivalent in the world still.

[mrloudly]

"Any aircraft is only as good as what's strapped under it" Oooop's... What's the carrier cost...

[anonymous-user]

Condi said:

Hooli said:

Now I'm on a proper screen not my phone I've realised it's a F-14 that's mated with a glider.

Agreed. The wings look really stupid. Why are they straight rather than swept, or is that all Cessena had in their junk bin?

This^^^ "fast" jets with straight high wings look all wrong! (even though they are technically "right" and allowing the main spar to go over the engines sounds like a clever plan)

[maffski]

Condi said:

While it wont go head to head with any 4h or 5th gen fighter there are a lot of areas of the world where this type of thing will be the best thing in the sky, and so you get relatively cheap superiority. It will surely be better than 1960s and 1970s Russian things?

I don't know - as an African tin pot dictator the use of composites would worry me, I might be calling Northrop Grumman and asking about F-5E Tiger II's