From AINAlerts:

"In a surprise move, the U.S. Air Force revealed today that it will take “corrective action” on the light air support (LAS) aircraft contract. The Air Force had earlier announced the contract would be awarded to Sierra Nevada, a U.S. company that partnered with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to offer the E-314 Super Tucano. Hawker Beechcraft, which had promoted its own AT-6 in the bidding, formally protested the Air Force decision."

Rest of the story HERE!...

That's cool. I hope the AT-6 wins out actually - it features a few of the same avionics (apparently) as the A-10C.



* And yes, I realize the Super Tucano is a great and proven platform..

BeachAV8R

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Wheels

AOL Mail? Really?

Don't give wheels a hard time. He still thinks it's 1996.

Busted!

Works well enough for me.


I think I may have had that particular email that long...


Wheels

Got to love how a foreign company (even if it produces everything in the US) can't get a military contract, without the losing company bribing their local politicians to raise a nationalist #%&*$# and force a redoing of the contracts. Doesn't matter that the winning bid brings just as much jobs, and makes everything in the US. It is not a US company, and that is verboten! USA uber alles!

#%&*$# disgusting. Have to wonder why foreign companies even bother trying for these contracts. The whole Airbus mess should have shown them the painting on the wall.

OTOH it works the other way round too.

A close friend is flying the Seaking which is already older than many pilots flying them. A replacement is urgently needed. Eurocopter developes the MH90 (for over 10 years now IIRC), which is isn`t very good for Navy duties, especially SAR. No one of the flying personal really thinks they will ever come over the shortcomings of the design (btw. the Army has the NH90, which has shortcomings that are bizarre). Sikorsky however has a Helicopter in its portfolio, which actually works (forgot the model, my friend said the Canadian Navy is using them already).

Since Eurocopter is Europe based, I bet we`ll in the end still buy the inferior design.

Your friend is probably thinking of the CH-148 Cyclone, which is based on the civilian S-92. To say Canada is "using them already" is stretching the truth pretty generously. We were supposed to have received six interim operational helicopters in 2010. To date, I think we only have one, which is being used on an experimental basis for open sea trials and to test haul-down system and handling. All operational ship deployments are still being accompanied by the Sea King.

I know there are all kinds of politics around the decision. I'm just a fan of the AT-6 is all. It has a proven airframe, a very proven engine, and the integration of A-10 weapons systems seems to make sense.

All of these companies (Airbus, Embraer, Boeing) are subsidized by some sort or another by their home countries. So I don't necessarily think that any particular one is any more or less aggressive in their campaigning.