Textron Scorpion Conducts Weapons Tests at WSMR

Textron AirLand conducted the first air-to-surface weapons trials of its Scorpion jet during a series of live-firings at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in mid-October.

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The firings, which took place from 10 to 14 October and announced on 19 October, saw the Scorpion fire the Lockheed Martin AGM-114F Hellfire II air-to-surface missile, the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), and unguided Hydra 70 mm rockets. A ground-based laser designator was used in the first instance, with the aircraft self-designating in later tests using its L-3 Wescam MX-15Di electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret.

www.janes.com...

a reply to: anzha


I love the Scorpion. It just looks right. It's a shame politics gets in the way of the Army operating aerial assets... This would be a perfect light attack platform for an air force that doesn't have to worry about high level anti air threats. It can carry an impressive amount of ordinance for a small airplane too. Has there been any word on different wing assemblies? I remember when this jet was relatively new news the company was claiming that the wings could be swapped out to fit different roles and that the wing box and fuselage was designed for this adaptability. Scrapped? Maybe I imagined it.


Crazy to think that 20m and 3k/hr for one is a good deal.. The days when 20m would buy you a squadron of P-51s... Still I think this is an excellent airframe that is just going to have to fight for foreign sales.

a reply to: Caughtlurking

more pix:

www.flightglobal.com...

Actually, if I were the USAF and were going to go through with the "COTS" A-10 wingman, this would be it.

a reply to: Caughtlurking

I don't see what is so great about it. BAE Hawk should be in the same price range, costs ~1k/hr to operate and is a proven platform. The only plus point for the Scorpion is the (very) large internal fuel tank.

Textron is preparing to fly the production version of the Scorpion as well as getting started on a limited production run.

I can't help it, but I find it a bit ...aesthetically unfulfilling.

But I guess it is there to blow things up and not look pleasing to the eye.

Even the A10 is a better looker in a rugged kind of way.

BT

a reply to: beetee

I've always thought it look very Tomcat like. Especially the aft end.