Textron, in partnership with Airland Enterprises, recently unveiled the Scorpion, a largely clean-sheet light combat/ISR jet that is being prepared for a first flight this month (see photo). New military aircraft are so scarce that any new prototype is bound to garner attention, including an Aviation Week cover story (AW&ST Sept. 16, p. 22), and it's good to see innovation make an appearance in the aerospace and defense industry. Yet, despite all the talk of paradigm shifting, low costs and “80% solutions,” what exactly is the market for this product?
As a prospective new entrant to the aviation industry, it's hard to be better positioned than China. The country offers the second biggest national market in the world, one that is growing ever larger and more important and benefits from plenty of engineering talent. It's difficult to believe China will not eventually have some kind of large aerospace industry as long as it stays a national priority.
