While the U.S. Air Force is cutting
personnel in order to pay for new F-22 and F-35 fighters, many jet
fighters are in danger of being replaced, in part, by equally new
warplanes that look like something out of World War II. Case in point
is the A-67 counter-insurgency aircraft (PHOTO).
Initially designed as a private venture in the United States, it is now
being developed for production next year. The propeller driven, single
engine aircraft has one engine, a crew of two and can carry 1.5 tons of
sensors and weapons. It can stay in the air for ten hours per sortie.
The A-67 will cost about $8 million each, and is built to be easily,
and cheaply maintained by small ground crews. With modern sensors and
smart bombs, such an aircraft could do what an F-16 does over most of
the world's battlefields, but at a fraction of the cost. Sales efforts
are being directed at nations that need air power, but can't afford jet
fighters. Afghanistan is a good example, as is any nation with islamic
terrorists, or rebels of any kind, to deal with.