By: Valerie Insinna, July 19, 2017
WASHINGTON — Participants in the U.S. Air Force’s
light-attack aircraft experiment are revving up training activities ahead of
the beginning of the exercise next month at Holloman Air Force Base, New
Mexico.
So far, two companies have disclosed that they are taking
part in the experiment, which will help the Air Force decide whether to start
an OA-X program of record. Textron is bringing its Scorpion jet and the AT-6
Wolverine turboprop, while Sierra Nevada Corporation and Embraer have partnered
up to offer the A-29 Super Tucano.
Both companies are already on the ground at Holloman and
are preparing for the experiment to start on July 31, executives from both
Sierra Nevada and Textron told Defense News in interviews earlier this month.
Sierra Nevada, or SNC, began training two Air Force
pilots and two weapons systems officers to operate the aircraft on July 7.
While the company will maintain the A-29 during its stay at Holloman, it will
also provide some instruction to Air Force maintainers during the exercise,
allowing them to weigh in on how easy it is to sustain the aircraft, said Taco
Gilbert, SNC’s senior vice president for intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance.
Textron arrived with its AT-6 on July 9, and a group of
instructor pilots and logistics, maintenance and support personnel are on the
ground conducting training, said Bill Harris, the company’s vice president of
Scorpion jet sales. A Textron spokeswoman has since confirmed that Air Force
pilots have already started flying the aircraft.
The Scorpion, which will fly in a later portion of the
experiment, is set to arrive at the base on July 28.......Read rest of article: HERE
Textron’s Scorpion is a bit of an outlier as the only
jet-powered aircraft participating in the exercise. At about $3,000 per flight
hour, it’s more expensive than its turboprop competitors like the A-29, which
costs about $1,000 per flight hour to operate, according to SNC. However, it
can fly faster and higher, provide standoff capability, and has additional
space and power for more advanced sensors, Harris said.
Related post:
Scorpion Attack Aircraft: Details
Beechcraft AT-6: Details
Embraer EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucano: Details
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