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AF Light Air Support Aircraft


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Anybody heard rumors on how the program is going to work? I've heard 2 different things 1. that we were going to use them like the 6 SOS to help train partner nations or 2. That the light attack would serve as a regular squadron performing CAS. Anybody hearing anything since the contract is moving along?

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.50 cals internally mounted, you had me at hello. I'm going to speculate that there is already a American cadre of pilots who have flown this acft in combat. Plus R&D and operational know how a known fact so it saves money and gets fielded quickly. About as off the shelf as we are going to get. Now put a AR drogue probe on it it gives us on station time.AT-6 too many unknowns (cost overruns) plus do they have that PT6 engine shaft problem sorted out, hate to see that happen at takeoff with full ordinance. Ehh! the lawyers are going to ###### it up anyhow.

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I recently attended the IQPC Air Power for Irregular Warfare Conference and one of the speakers was a Super Tucano pilot from the Brazilian AF. The aircraft already has an impressive record, flying COIN and "ISR" operations for a number of South American Air Forces. The AT-6 was also briefed but by a company rep. The capabilities were similar but the aircraft still has to go beyond the prototype stage. If the USAF wants a ready aircraft, straight from factory to the line without all of the R&D and associated cost overruns, the Super Tucano is the go to weapons system.

More importantly, there may be some quid pro quo involved with Brazil and Embraer, especially since the Brazilian AF is looking at the F/A-18, Gripen and Rafael for its next generation Air Defense Fighter. Buying a fair number of Super Tucanos could provide a significant offset against a Brazilian F/A-18 order.

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Much better article

http://defensetech.o...attack-contest/

Also, it seems the training will take place in "Clovis, NM"

seems appropriate...now where is the afpc robot when you need it..

Love the comments on this article. Total ignorance. So, Clovis NM. Does this mean the plane's going to AFSOC? Or is it just another example of pork barrel politics.

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Guest CAVEMAN

Love the comments on this article. Total ignorance. So, Clovis NM. Does this mean the plane's going to AFSOC? Or is it just another example of pork barrel politics.

Most likely AFSOC.

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Love the comments on this article. Total ignorance.

I agree.

But you have to admit, that's what it is like around here sometimes.

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Maybe they have lasers.

Normally, acquisition contracts like this (first time buy of a developed foreign product) cover more than just the aircraft, so dividing the cantract amount by the airplane numbers is misleading. I'm sure there's a chunk of spare parts included (normally several years worth), vartious types of aircraft specific ground equipment, engineering support and tech rep services, pubs development to USAF standards, initial training services for ground crews and maintenance people, etc. That all adds up on the first contract. I suspect that a follow-on buy would show a much lower aircraft cost the second time around, as all that other stuff would be contracted via separate methods.

While the AT-6 may be advertised (by the builder) at a lower cost, that cost probably is the airframe cost, not including all the extra stuff.

Edited by HiFlyer
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So if this is going to be CAS, and not that quick, are they planning on throwing some armor in there too? How much weight can you REALLY put on an (A)T-6 or ST and expect performance???

Edit: more or less rhetorical, just my first thought. Seeing T-6's (and by extension ST's) flying around at low level look like pretty good targets for ground fire.

Edited by GoCanes7
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Seeing T-6's (and by extension ST's) flying around at low level look like pretty good targets for ground fire.

While ground fire is obviously a big concern, lots of aircraft fly low and slow without too much of a problem. The super tucano should be able to stay high enough to keep out of RPG/HMG/small arms range, and defensive equipment against MANPADS won't weigh much or cost much. Even if you forego a MWS and just put flares on board to save money and weight the odds of a talib taking a well aimed shot with a functioning MANPADS are pretty slim. I'd say reward (solid low cost CAS/ISR platform) outweigh the risk.

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Que?

MWS = Missile Warning System like the AAR-54 which can be used to slew a jammer or automatically dispense flares. To keep costs down you could leave out the MWS and just have a bucket or two of flares dispensed manually.

edit - grammar.

Edited by db84
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super tucano should be able to stay high enough to keep out of RPG/HMG/small arms range, and defensive equipment against MANPADS won't weigh much or cost much. Even if you forego a MWS and just put flares on board to save money and weight the odds of a talib taking a well aimed shot with a functioning MANPADS are pretty slim.

Wrong.

If we're just handing them over to the Afghans, then fine.

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Wrong.

If we're just handing them over to the Afghans, then fine.

2.

Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be fun to operate, but it doesn't take a dummy to point an MG above the horizon and track an incoming target...at least the 'hog has two motors.

Edit: or I might be giving the bad guys too much credit.

Edited by GoCanes7
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