BeechTalk - BT - SOCOM chooses the AT-802 for armed overwatch

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 07:10

"This deal strikes me as throwing a bone to L3/Air Tractor to get them to drop their lawsuit over the competition with the AT-6 and A-29."

The C-145B seems a lot more capable to me and AFSOC already operates the C-145A :scratch:

https://www.sncorp.com/what-we-do/mc-145b-coyote/

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 08:50

I don’t doubt that all the applicants passed the “austere” ops hoop-jumping contest.

But nobody’s cheaper with or meaner to an airplane than a crop-duster and air tractor has been refining that design for decades.

Now standing up the military high-power taildragger training pipeline will be interesting. I propose the T-6 III, which will be an original T-6 with a TPE-331

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 09:29

"But nobody’s cheaper with or meaner to an airplane than a crop-duster and air tractor has been refining that design for decades"

If only that were ever selection criteria for military aircraft procurement. And I'd offer that the C-145B is a Russian legacy design also refined over decades. They are fairly well known for being cheap and mean on aircraft. :cheers:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 11:15

All I’m saying is “they all passed test X” doesn’t mean they’re all the same.

And your point about old Russian designs is well taken.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 11:40

Agreed, also seems to me that the C-408 could be easily modified to fill this mission. :peace:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 13:02

Hmmmm, you don't say

https://www.airforce-technology.com/pro ... t-caravan/

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 14:35

Username Protected wrote:

The U-28 is a capable aircraft. But, without getting into specific capabilities, there's more to those missions than just strike platforms.

The United States operates armed PC12's? Can this be answered true or false?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Aug 2022, 15:22

Pilatus offers a wide array of armaments for their aircraft. The PC-9M is a very capable combat platform that comes with 7 or so hard points. It carries rockets, bombs, gun pods, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_PC-9

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Aug 2022, 09:32

Username Protected wrote:

Hmmmm, you don't say

https://www.airforce-technology.com/pro ... t-caravan/

errrm this one-

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... -customers

I'm guessing Textron saw which way the political winds were blowing on the Armed Overwatch award.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Aug 2022, 09:58

Username Protected wrote:

Pilatus offers a wide array of armaments for their aircraft. The PC-9M is a very capable combat platform that comes with 7 or so hard points. It carries rockets, bombs, gun pods, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilatus_PC-9

Interesting, I guess I was told something that was incorrect. Imagine that!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2022, 08:37

[youtube]https://youtu.be/OloKDSNe10U[/youtube]

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2022, 11:12

How is the AF going to handle tailwheel training?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2022, 11:52

Username Protected wrote:

How is the AF going to handle tailwheel training?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klKcQt_awWw

I really don't see this as any area of concern. Competent training is the answer.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2022, 13:04

Username Protected wrote:

How is the AF going to handle tailwheel training?

I imagine that USAF will handle it just fine. 1:5 proposed squadrons is a training squadron. It is already a 2-place aircraft and Air Tractor already sells a dual control model.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2022, 13:37

Username Protected wrote:

How is the AF going to handle tailwheel training?

I imagine that USAF will handle it just fine. 1:5 proposed squadrons is a training squadron. It is already a 2-place aircraft and Air Tractor already sells a dual control model.