The Textron AirLand Scorpion light attack aircraft, which is scheduled to make its first flight in the next few weeks, continues to capture-and hold-the attention of Europeans. Although its developers carefully avoid calling it a "low-cost" fighter proposal, it is obvious that their ultimate goal is to offer a two-seat twinjet costing a fraction of more conventional aircraft. This is an attractive proposition, of course, in an environment of increasingly restricted and uncertain defense budgets.
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