In a move that seems to be targeted at getting the most bang for your buck verses the most technologically advanced and most expensive option the Air Force may be considering a low cost attack jet. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein said the Air Force is looking at jets such as the Textron Scorpion as a potential low cost close air support aircraft.
“We’re right now just having this dialogue with industry partners,” Goldfein told reporters after speaking at an American Enterprise Institute event in Washington, D.C. “Making sure they know that we’re putting this on — dates, still to be determined. But probably around the springtime.”
Goldfein, saying there is no request for information at this time, did not elaborate on how the experiment would be conducted or what it would entail — whether it would be just a viewing of various industry light attack aircraft, simulation trials or flight demonstration.
Goldfein said it is important to note, “This isn’t a competition, it’s an experiment.”
“We’re going to do this experiment and see what’s out there, and I’m expecting many of the companies to come forward,” he said. – Defense Tech
Senator John McCain has called on the Air Force to continue to support the A-10 fleet for close air support (CAS) and to explore procuring 300 low cost light attack jets that would require minimal cost and effort to acquire.
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