Unless something significant changed in the last several months since this story first bubbled up, this video is a complete misrepresentation.
- Beechcraft didn’t have an aircraft, only a spec to build one. Embraair has proven aircraft with a combat track record.
- the contract specifies that the aircraft will be made in the USA, not Brazil
The real outrage should be focused on why it took the Pentagon ten years to identify the need for this plane.
I se you have been following this story too...... now go throwing out them there pesky facts, it will only get you flamed..... my thought process tells me that getting our troops the very best equipment trumps “Made in America” every single day of the week....
I have to agree here, Not only did they not define the need. But if you take into account how many aircraft we have sold to Brazil in the past A-4s F-5s and the number of F-18s we are trying to sell them now. I see nothing wrong with us buying a proven design. Sure it would be nice to create more defense jobs here but there is a much bigger picture involved.