4 ms·

Beyond the low purchase price the running cost is so low in comparison to other planes that I can't help but wonder if grabbing these would free up budget for m

by icefox 12y ago

Beyond the low purchase price the running cost is so low in comparison to other planes that I can't help but wonder if grabbing these would free up budget for more planes/men etc in your department/group which is often at the core of politics. I wouldn't be surprised if someone said something amusing like they could have 1 of X or 3 of these, but because it isn't as "good" they will need to have 4. :D

commandar 12y ago
I'm really a fan of this thing as a potential replacement for the A-10C since the USAF is hellbent on retiring the Hog. It's not a direct replacement, but it's a better fit for the role than the F-35 would be and the things are so cheap that you could field a ton of them. It's supposed to be a sub-$20M jet and I've seen cost per flight hour numbers in the range of $3-5000. In comparison, the A-10 runs around $15-20k/hour, the F-16 anywhere from $15-30k/hour depending on the numbers you can find, and the F-35 is reportedly around $30+/-5k.
- mikecb 12y ago
  It might be cheap enough, and given the wings might have the loiter time, but can it carry the ordinance that an A-10 can? Certainly doesn't seem to have the same survivability characteristics either.
  - commandar 12y ago
    Nope. That's why I said it's not a direct replacement. The A-10 can carry a larger payload than the entire dry Scorpion airframe weighs. But it fills the slot better than the JSF which is just plain too fast a design to fill a loitering CAS role well. The fact that the Scorpion's so cheap to run means you could could sortie a lot more of them for the same cost as even a single A-10 (which is one of, if not the, cheapest to operate combat aircraft in the USAF inventory today).
    - mikecb 12y ago
      Absolutely. The idea that JSF can fill the role, even with UCAVs in support, is laughable.
ThrustVectoring 12y ago
I could see it as a combination of a trainer plane and freeing up boarder patrol etc duties. It's a jet fighter, so pilots will rack up useful experience. And you do not need performance to shoot down an airliner - a WWII prop plane could do it.

by icefox 12y ago

commandar 12y ago

I'm really a fan of this thing as a potential replacement for the A-10C since the USAF is hellbent on retiring the Hog. It's not a direct replacement, but it's a better fit for the role than the F-35 would be and the things are so cheap that you could field a ton of them. It's supposed to be a sub-$20M jet and I've seen cost per flight hour numbers in the range of $3-5000. In comparison, the A-10 runs around $15-20k/hour, the F-16 anywhere from $15-30k/hour depending on the numbers you can find, and the F-35 is reportedly around $30+/-5k.

mikecb 12y ago
It might be cheap enough, and given the wings might have the loiter time, but can it carry the ordinance that an A-10 can? Certainly doesn't seem to have the same survivability characteristics either.
- commandar 12y ago
  Nope. That's why I said it's not a direct replacement. The A-10 can carry a larger payload than the entire dry Scorpion airframe weighs. But it fills the slot better than the JSF which is just plain too fast a design to fill a loitering CAS role well. The fact that the Scorpion's so cheap to run means you could could sortie a lot more of them for the same cost as even a single A-10 (which is one of, if not the, cheapest to operate combat aircraft in the USAF inventory today).
  - mikecb 12y ago
    Absolutely. The idea that JSF can fill the role, even with UCAVs in support, is laughable.

ThrustVectoring 12y ago

I could see it as a combination of a trainer plane and freeing up boarder patrol etc duties. It's a jet fighter, so pilots will rack up useful experience. And you do not need performance to shoot down an airliner - a WWII prop plane could do it.