Scorpion: The New Light Jet Fighter Nobody Asked For

This week there was a surprising announcement by Textron CEO Scott Donnelly at the Air Force Association technology conference outside of Washington, D.C.  It seems that Textron teamed up with Cessna to design a new, low-cost jet fighter designed for countries that have very tight defense budgets (i.e. The United States for one).

As described and revealed in a photograph, the Scorpion is a versatile twin-engine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft. Engines are expected to be built by Honeywell (specifically the Honeywell TFE731s).  Empty weight of 11,800 pounds and max speed of 450 knots and a ceiling of 45,000 feet. Textron/Cessna is targeting a operating cost of $3000.00 a flight hour for this aircraft.

To this blogger, the Scorpion looks like a fixed wing F-14 Tomcat with its wings in the extended position. But I'm thinking that this could be a great aircraft for Great Britain and Japan for their respective "aircraft carrier" programs if the Scorpion can be navalized.


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Ref.
1.  www.flyingmag.com. "" by Stephen Pope. September 17, 2013. (http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/scorpion-light-attack-jet-nobody-asked?cmpid=enews091213&spPodID=030&spMailingID=17904912&spUserID=NTI1OTk5OTQ5OTMS1&spJobID=229891228&spReportId=MjI5ODkxMjI4S0).  image from same website.

Fifth Dwarf Planet Named & Cuba Gets a Space Center

International Astronomical Union (IAU) News published via AP and by Comcast.net was that the International Astronomical Union in Paris has named the fifth Dwarf Planet in our solar system. Once known as 2003 EL61, it is now named after the Hawaiian goddess Haumea, it joins former planet Pluto, Ceres, Eris, and Makemake as the newly classified category of dwarf planets. The elongated egg shaped world was first discovered back in 2005. It is thought that Haumea is composed almost entirely of rock with a pure ice crust. It has 32 percent of the mass, but is the same diameter of Pluto . The dwarf planet has a rotation of four hours which experts think help to create its odd football shape. Haumea, also has two small moons orbiting it, named Hi'iaka and Namaka. According to Hawaiian mythos, the two children (Hi'iaka and Namaka) were born to the goddess Haumea.

In other space news, Russia will help Cuba build it's own space center. This is seen as a counter to the perceived encroachment of the United States and the western allies of NATO, into the Ukraine and Georgia region of the former Soviet Union.

(News Articles from Comcast.net and AP (Sept 19, 2008).)
(Edited on 09/23/2008)