Textron Scorpion Fighter Jet: Will It Take the Fight to ISIS?

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/11/09/textron-scorpion-fighter-jet-will-it-take-the-figh.aspx

Textron Scorpion Fighter Jet: Will It Take the Fight to ISIS?

By Rich Smith | More Articles
November 9, 2014


One year ago, defense contractor Textron (NYSE: TXT ) announced plans to build a new, budget-priced fighter jet. Now, the new Textron Scorpion could soon land its very first sale -- and perhaps go to war with ISIS.

According to a Nov. 2 DefenseNews.com report, the United Arab Emirates is looking to beef up its air force, and is giving the Scorpion a good hard look. As well it should.

A bit of background
Last year, the UAE scotched plans to buy Typhoon fighter jets from BAE Systems (NASDAQOTH: BAESY ) . Similarly, the Arab nation's plans to purchase as many as four dozen M-346 trainer jets from Italy appear to have hit a snag. Yet even as the UAE's air force seems starved for new planes, the country has taken on a role supporting U.S. airstrikes against ISIS insurgents in Syria.

The UAE is using F-16 fighter jets to pound ISIS targets on the ground -- as is the United States. But using high-performance fighters for ground attacks is overkill. It would be more cost-effective to conduct these kinds of raids with cheap, light attack fighters -- such as Textron's Scorpion.

The Scorpion is estimated to cost less than $20 million per plane (and perhaps as little as $17 million). In contrast, deagel.com puts the unit cost of the Typhoons that UAE recently passed on at $124 million apiece -- on par with the price tag of a Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT ) F-35. And even the Italian M-346, a light attack aircraft that the UAE has been looking at as a possible jet trainer, is estimated to cost $48 million apiece -- more than twice the cost of a Textron Scorpion.

Good enough for the job?
Granted, at a top speed of 500 mph, the subsonic Textron Scorpion wouldn't be of much use in a dogfight. Italy's M-346 and Eurofighter's Typhoon both have longer "legs." But for the limited purposes of intelligence, search, and reconnaissance, or for plinking ISIS tanks and Toyotas in the desert, 500 mph should more than do the trick. To emphasize the point, Textron advertises the Scorpion as coming complete with a bomb capacity of 3,000 pounds, along with six "hard points" for carrying rockets and bombs under its wings.

When you take out your calculator, and discover that for the price of a single M-346 you could buy two-and-a-half Scorpions -- or six Scorpions for the cost of just one Typhoon -- the case for buying Textron's new fighter jet only gets stronger.

Maybe a good deal but for the job required for ISIS the A-10 WARTHOG SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE FOR MUCH OF THE OPEN WORK OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, IMHO. What other nations use is their business.
perhaps, NEO OR OTHER AIRFORCE MEMBERS (FORMER OR PRESENT) HAVE GREATER INSIGHT AND COULD RESPOND.-Tyr

[DLT]

Maybe a good deal but for the job required for ISIS the A-10 WARTHOG SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE FOR MUCH OF THE OPEN WORK OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, IMHO. What other nations use is their business.
perhaps, NEO OR OTHER AIRFORCE MEMBERS (FORMER OR PRESENT) HAVE GREATER INSIGHT AND COULD RESPOND.-Tyr

Sounds like a much better alternative, cost-wise. I just don't think that ISIS will be defeated by air-power alone though. And most Americans are VERY reluctant to go along with more boots on the ground in Iraq at this point (lost cause). It's too late, IMO. We should never have pulled out all troops in the first place. Obama knew that. He was giving/handing Iraq over to his buds in the ME on a platinum platter.

In fact, looking back and thinking about it NOW.....that's probably the only reason why he and Biden took credit for the "success" in Iraq that they had nothing to do with. To make it appear as though they were for that success and were not planning to turn that success into the ultimate failure. It was their "cover", IOW.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Sounds like a much better alternative, cost-wise. I just don't think that ISIS will be defeated by air-power alone though. And most Americans are VERY reluctant to go along with more boots on the ground in Iraq at this point (lost cause). It's too late, IMO. We should never have pulled out all troops in the first place. Obama knew that. He was giving/handing Iraq over to his buds in the ME on a platinum platter.

In fact, looking back and thinking about it NOW.....that's probably the only reason why he and Biden took credit for the "success" in Iraq that they had nothing to do with. To make it appear as though they were for that success and were not planning to turn that success into the ultimate failure. It was their "cover", IOW.

Another idea would be for us to --revamp--tweak-- the A-10 Warthog and sell them to those nations. A better bargain if a weapon is needed for ground assault that is not required to be dogfight worthy IMHO.. --TYR

[aboutime]

History has told us, and anyone who cares to investigate, will learn. AIR POWER alone, has NEVER won, or ended any war.

So. If, and Until our cut and run pretender-in-chief consults with Congress to declare a WAR with ISIS. The end is probably at least another Decade away.

[Jeff]

The world knew when we went into Iraq it had to be for the long haul, many didn't like the idea because they knew we would be there for years and everyone with a half a brain knew when Obama decided to pull troop out this was coming, Obama himself knew it but hoped he would be out of office before the sheot hit the fan :shitfan:, he would look like a hero to the liberals that wanted troops out and then let the next guy worry about fixing things. Now we have a real problem and as I predicted would happen if we pulled the troops is happening, yup this war is escalating and now Americans don't want to put more boots on the ground ( the only way to eliminate ISIS ) so the next step will be us fighting on our own land, it has started already but is going to escalate real soon. American people are soft and haven't seen war ( other than the news ) its going to get very interesting real soon.

[NightTrain]

Another idea would be for us to --revamp--tweak-- the A-10 Warthog and sell them to those nations. A better bargain if a weapon is needed for ground assault that is not required to be dogfight worthy IMHO.. --TYR

The Warthog is a real ass kicker... I don't think I like the idea of selling it to the Arabs, even though it's an old plane.

It would really suck to have a squadron of A-10s hit our guys down the road when we're on opposing sides. The Scorpion is more than capable of beating up ISIS' captured armor and Toyotas.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

The Warthog is a real ass kicker... I don't think I like the idea of selling it to the Arabs, even though it's an old plane.

It would really suck to have a squadron of A-10s hit our guys down the road when we're on opposing sides. The Scorpion is more than capable of beating up ISIS' captured armor and Toyotas.

but, but, the genius Obama would find only the "moderate", true peace loving muslim terrorists to sell those planes to.. ;)

I agree with your post myself.
The A-10 Warthog, IS TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECTIVE AIR TO GROUND ATTACK WEAPON TO ALLOW THE (muslim) ALLIED ENEMIES OF THIS NATION ACCESS TO.

We should just use more of them , more often there and kick the lefthand asswipers all to hell and back. --Tyr