Interesting Article on Low-Cost Fighters

killbilly

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From the BBC:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140903-low-cost-fighter-jets-take-off

From the article:
The Textron Scorpion costs $20m, still not exactly a bargain by most people's standards, but a fifth of the cost of the F-35. It suggests that not every advanced defence project has to necessarily come in years late and billions over budget – and points to a new twist in not only the future of fighter-jet design, but also in more humanitarian roles that a budget jet could carry out.

Interesting story. We talk about the roles and feasibility of different systems around here, and I thought this was neat because I learned something new about some jets that I didn't even know existed.
 
It can dash to 450 knots to intercept!

I think for smaller countries it would be a great tool. For the US I never see this as replacing anything we have now.
 
Seems to be developed using company funds. Kick in FAR based contract requirements and the constant service scope creep during acquisition and that price would skyrocket.
 
It can dash to 450 knots to intercept!

I think for smaller countries it would be a great tool. For the US I never see this as replacing anything we have now.

Didn't read the article did you?

EDIT - sorry. being flippant. The article asserts what you said here.
 
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Not too much a new concept, as the Northrop F-5 fighter jet filled a similar concept for smaller countries that needed a cheap, but very capable, basic fighter/bomber jet.
 
Not too much a new concept, as the Northrop F-5 fighter jet filled a similar concept for smaller countries that needed a cheap, but very capable, basic fighter/bomber jet.

Mike - do you recall why the F-20 Tigershark was a non-starter? You're not that much older than I am, but as I recall, it was a great airplane that just couldn't find a market.
 
Mike - do you recall why the F-20 Tigershark was a non-starter? You're not that much older than I am, but as I recall, it was a great airplane that just couldn't find a market.

Great jet, but competing with the F-16 which was already established and which the AF had purchased was a hard hill to climb. The fact the USAF didn't want it made it difficult to build and sell for export. And 2 out of the 3 prototypes crashing during demonstration flights, sealed the deal. Sad because it was a very capable airframe for its time.
 
my cousin is one of the R&D pilots for this program (he is an A10 driver in the guard)
 
That cartridge starter would've been great on all the T-28's I had to start at the FBO. Getting under that thing with a little wrench and the one engine howling really sucked!

T-38s you mean? You talking the flipping the diverter valve? :)
 
Is this really news? It seems like the Europeans have been building little disposable subsonic attack/trainers for decades. BaE Hawk, L-39, Dassault AlphaJet, etc etc etc. What makes this thing so different?
 
Is this really news? It seems like the Europeans have been building little disposable subsonic attack/trainers for decades. BaE Hawk, L-39, Dassault AlphaJet, etc etc etc. What makes this thing so different?

Probably nothing.

But it was news to me and I thought it might be interesting to others. :)
 
Is this really news? It seems like the Europeans have been building little disposable subsonic attack/trainers for decades. BaE Hawk, L-39, Dassault AlphaJet, etc etc etc. What makes this thing so different?

One thing that has changed is that solid state avionics and electronically-scanned radars are now enabling some very capable classes of fighters for middle tier nations. The same is true on the SAM side.
 
Mike - do you recall why the F-20 Tigershark was a non-starter? You're not that much older than I am, but as I recall, it was a great airplane that just couldn't find a market.
In the wake of the fall of the Shah's Iran, we started to second-guess the wisdom of selling our frontline stuff. This attitude was short-lived and nobody had an interest in the F-20 when the F-16 was on the table...with friendly finance terms.
 
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