Beechcraft's AT-6 is appearing in public for the first time at the Paris air show, but the light attack aircraft's appearance comes at an awkward time for the company.
"The Beechcraft AT-6 is making its Paris debut, and we're thrilled to showcase the most capable, affordable, sustainable and interoperable light attack capability available in the world today," says Russ Bartlett, president of Beechcraft's defence business.
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On 13 June, the US Government Accountability Office rejected Beechcraft's protest against the US Air Force's Light Air Support contest to supply Afghanistan with 20 light strike aircraft. Beechcraft is urging the US Congress to intervene to prevent the USAF from supplying the winning Embraer A-29 Super Tucano design to other countries following Afghanistan.
The AT-6 is outfitted with a Pratt and Whitney PT6A-68D engine, CMC Esterline's mission modified Cockpit 4000, L-3 WESCAM's MX-15Di electo-optical/infrared camera and a Lockheed Martin mission system based on that found on the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. Beechcraft claims the aircraft has demonstrated net-centric and light attack capabilities and full compatibility with US and NATO Joint Terminal Attack Controller systems during the Air National Guard's Operational Assessment and Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment in 2010.
Check out the latest news and views from this year's Paris air show, including:
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- Images from the aerial displays
- Video highlights from the show
- Latest #PAS13 chat on our Twitter page
Finally, our new-look iFDN editions will contain exclusive footage from Paris 2013. Find out more
Source: Flight Daily News