The Machete: The Super Plane That Could Replace the A-10 Warthog (Or Not)?

[The SC]

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

Stavatti, the mercurial, Minnesota-based aerospace startup, has dusted off its old proposal for a new attack plane to partially replace the U.S. Air Force’s venerable A-10 Warthog.

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

The USAF’s interest in light attack planes waned after 2009 amid Congressionally-mandated automatic budget cuts. The flying branch even tried to prematurely retire its roughly 300 remaining A-10s. Congress intervened more than once to preserve the Warthog force, and in February 2017 the Air Force relented and said it would delay any A-10 cuts until after 2021.

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.eg8jgr8as

 

[Ultima Thule]

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

Stavatti, the mercurial, Minnesota-based aerospace startup, has dusted off its old proposal for a new attack plane to partially replace the U.S. Air Force’s venerable A-10 Warthog.

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

The USAF’s interest in light attack planes waned after 2009 amid Congressionally-mandated automatic budget cuts. The flying branch even tried to prematurely retire its roughly 300 remaining A-10s. Congress intervened more than once to preserve the Warthog force, and in February 2017 the Air Force relented and said it would delay any A-10 cuts until after 2021.

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.eg8jgr8as

@waz, @Oscar, @WebMaster please close this stupid and baseless thread which is based on a CG

 

[The SC]

@waz, @Oscar, @WebMaster please close this stupid and baseless thread which is based on a CG

https://www.wired.com/2009/08/proposed-light-fighter-could-out-perform-a-10/

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...r-plane-could-replace-the-10-warthog-or-19431

http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=SM-27/28/47_Machete

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.hxh8w2anv

 

[Jacob Martin]

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

Stavatti, the mercurial, Minnesota-based aerospace startup, has dusted off its old proposal for a new attack plane to partially replace the U.S. Air Force’s venerable A-10 Warthog.

The Machete, which is still just a concept, would come in two variants optimized for close air support — the propeller-driven SM-27 and the jet-propelled SM-28. Stavatti has proposed other variants of the Machete for air-to-air combat and advanced training.

The SM-27 and SM-28 are both single-engine, single-seat planes. They’re both armed with the same GAU-8 30-millimeter cannon that the A-10 also carries.

In proposing the Machete — actually, re-proposing it — Stavatti is hoping to benefit from the Air Force’s renewed interest in a light attack plane to complement the 1970s-vintage A-10. “Machete is a big project around here,” said Chris Beskar, Stavatti’s CEO.

Stavatti last marketed the Machete back in 2009, when the Air Force briefly considered acquiring around 100 light attack planes to replace A-10s on missions where the bigger, twin-engine Warthogs represented expensive overkill — such as striking lightly-armed insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. A turboprop attacker costs around $1,000 per flight hour to operate. An A-10 can cost more than $10,000 per flight hour.

Ultimately, the Air Force opted to buy just 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops from Brazilian firm Embraer in order to donate them to the Afghan air force. The first A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in 2016 and promptly flew into action against the Taliban.

The USAF’s interest in light attack planes waned after 2009 amid Congressionally-mandated automatic budget cuts. The flying branch even tried to prematurely retire its roughly 300 remaining A-10s. Congress intervened more than once to preserve the Warthog force, and in February 2017 the Air Force relented and said it would delay any A-10 cuts until after 2021.

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.eg8jgr8as

Thanks for sharing.

@waz, @Oscar, @WebMaster please close this stupid and baseless thread which is based on a CG

If you don't want to read something you are welcome not to. Please don't try to censor what others are posting/reading.

https://www.wired.com/2009/08/proposed-light-fighter-could-out-perform-a-10/

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...r-plane-could-replace-the-10-warthog-or-19431

http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=SM-27/28/47_Machete

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.hxh8w2anv

While it does look good, there are many off-the-shelf options such as the A-29, AT-6B (armed version of the T-6 Texan trainer), M-346 Master. Re-inventing the wheel will only make sense if the Machete brings a lot more to the table in terms of range, payload and survivability.

Many Air forces are are using modified version of their trainer aircraft or turboprops like A-29 for light attack/COIN, and seem quite satisfied.

 

[Ultima Thule]

https://www.wired.com/2009/08/proposed-light-fighter-could-out-perform-a-10/

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...r-plane-could-replace-the-10-warthog-or-19431

http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=SM-27/28/47_Machete

https://warisboring.com/this-weird-...o-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.hxh8w2anv

Thank you sir

 

[The SC]

Thanks for sharing.



If you don't want to read something you are welcome not to. Please don't try to censor what others are posting/reading.



While it does look good, there are many off-the-shelf options such as the A-29, AT-6B (armed version of the T-6 Texan trainer), M-346 Master. Re-inventing the wheel will only make sense if the Machete brings a lot more to the table in terms of range, payload and survivability.

Many Air forces are are using modified version of their trainer aircraft or turboprops like A-29 for light attack/COIN, and seem quite satisfied.

Those are trainers, you know the US, to replace the very potent A-10 thunderbolt they need something better yet.. this Machette concept, if worked on by the US army and with handing out their specs to the manufacturer might see the light one day,, there is one version with a jet engine, only its trainer version we see on the pictures above..
Still, I believe they will go with a design from one of the biggest known manufacturers..

 

[Jacob Martin]

Those are trainers, you know the US, to replace the very potent A-10 thunderbolt they need something better yet.. this Machette concept, if worked on by the US army and with handing out their specs to the manufacturer might see the light one day,, there is one version with a jet engine, only its trainer version we see on the pictures above..
Still, I believe they will go with a design from one of the biggest known manufacturers..

Yeah, problem is they haven't found anything yet that can get hit and still land like the A-10 can. A future replacement needs to have a the same virtues as the A-10. Seems they don't really have a coherent plan for replacement as yet.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...-incoherent-plan-replace-the-10-warthog-17079

 

[ali_raza]

if they replace it we should ask them for EDA

 

[Safriz]

Reminds me of this satire movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2002718/