A press release notes Textron Airland, a joint venture between Cessna and an industry group, has self-produced an aircraft it intends to market as a low-cost irregular warfare aircraft.  The “Scorpion”

is well matched to the Air National Guard’s missions such as irregular warfare, border patrol, maritime surveillance, emergency relief, counter narcotics and air defense operations,” the joint venture’s website says…

The Scorpion will be able to carry 3,000 pounds of weapons at speeds up to 517 mph, according to the company’s website. The plane’s ceiling is 45,000 feet.

Airland is a group made up of “formed by former defense and aerospace executives,” including former Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters. One of the Scorpion’s primary selling points is that it has been developed without government funds to date, making it an “off the shelf” and economical purchase.

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