Textron’s Scorpion recon and strike jet offers cash-strapped countries air power on the cheap. Global events are making it more attractive.

Like spaceships and sports stadiums, military strike jets typically aren’t the kind of things that companies build—much less sell—off the shelf. Take the Pentagon’s new F-35, for instance: Two decades and $400 billion in the making, the F-35 had nine committed customers lined up to buy thousands of aircraft (at between $80 million and $110 million per copy) before Lockheed Martin LMT -0.28% ever started bending metal in earnest. Rarely does a contractor fully develop a military jet on spec.

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But the most vocal and interesting launch customer is Nigeria, a country that hasn’t even bothered to conceal its interest in obtaining the Scorpion to assist in its ongoing fight against Boko Haram. “We are really handicapped in attacking the enemy where we want,” Air Vice Marshal R.A. Ojuawo, the director of operations for the Nigerian Air Force, said at an international defense confab last month.“We want this, we need this,” he said, specifically referring to the Scorpion. (The Nigerian Air Force has yet to make a formal request to purchase the aircraft.)

http://fortune.com/2014/12/17/textron-airland-scorpion/

what does this mean? that even as we speak, the Nigerian Army is still ill equipped to fight boko haram?
why is gej seeking re-election then?

the man should just gently leave and let another person work it out. it's becoming too obvious that he doesn't have what it takes!

olamega:
the man should just gently leave and let another person work it out. it's becoming too obvious that he doesn't have what it takes!

why keeping the army so weak for so long? what is his aim?

@saharachic, what do you think about this write up, it might answer your question:

Forwarded as Received.
I was in conversation with a United Nation official yesterday and we were talking about the acquisition of warships by ethnic militant Tompolo, in a country were our brave soldiers are being starved off equipments. He told me point blank that in every major conflict he has assessed or being involved in as a UN official it all started with one fellow choosing to ARM an ETHNIC MILITIA as against the national army of the country, sometimes deliberately depleting the army before the violence starts.

I first got reports of Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo buying military helicopters and hardware from diplomatic intelligence sources about 2 years ago. Shortly after that he was arrested in Benin Republic but released upon the intervention of our government. What I can see is very clear, JONATHAN is leading an effort to create an alternate military force in the Niger Delta to force the hands of the generality of NIGERIANS when the time comes. How else can one explain Tompolo a man once declared wanted for killing our soldiers now effectively taking over the duties of our navy?

Where is all the money coming from? Do you think the arms are being bought for boat parade or regatta? No they are to kill NIGERIANS. JONATHAN has never been able to rise to fill the position of the NIGERIAN Presidency, he acts like an ethnic warlord and at the rate he is going he is going to push us into the path of Liberia and Sierra Leone, while silly people are busy cheering him on. I have taken it upon myself to write a letter of complaint and warning to the United Nations Secretary General to pay attention to what JONATHAN and his cohorts are doing in Nigeria, seemingly pushing the country closer to a violent ethnic crisis. This crisis would consume the entire African continent if not checked.

This morning I received this in my inbox, and I couldn't help but shudder that we are dealing with really devious human beings who have mistakenly found themselves in power. Their attitude and body language says it all:

"I'm really amused that we are all screaming murder years after the deed was done? It's well over 3 years that I have been screaming the overall plans and strategies of the south-south vs the behemoth Nigeria, i.e, their eventual emancipation! For the sake of many who have not read or few who have taken these posts as scare mongering by Oyenuga Lanre Paul, I'll re summarise them here. To free their region of the shackles of endless exploitation and domination by the rest of Nigeria, the south-south decided as follow: 1). Cripple the Nigerian Army's capacities to engage in sustained warfare: thus the encouragement of BH and decimation of the army's hardware and personnel. 2). Ensure Nigeria is economically destitute and unable to spend on warfare: thus the unprecedented looting of the treasury, resulting in our current vulnerability. Okonjo Iweala is not 'coordinating' for nothing. 3rd is the military takeover of our coastal waters by the south-south, which is what the coastal waterways protection contract with Government Tompolo was designed to guarantee. Let no one be deceived, less than 0.5% of our military, (including naval and air force) personnel can swim in an 8 foot deep pool, not to mention a river or coastal waters. Thus, how do you engage these toughened militia in their coastal waters, when we couldn't tackle BH in plain view? 4th is the intense frustrations of the oil producing companies by the south-southerners nouveau-riche to hand over the onshore production bases to them by forced sale or outright disruption of their operations. As we chat here, 70% of the onshore operations have been sold off by the major players like shell, Mobil, etc.
As well as the training of ex militants as pilots under amnesty
Anyone doubting my claims of warning about these can browse through my timeline. IF THE SOUTH-SOUTH PULLS OUT TODAY, WE ARE SITTING DUCKS! The South-East are tagging along with the south-south, for obvious reasons and I don't blame them!
The choice of Buhari is due to these calculations by our rulers in the South-West and the core North. Unless I'm paranoid, we have a scary situation ahead. I moved my family out as far back as 2011, based on this concerns. GEJ will very likely lose the elections in 2015, but the south-south will keep their oil. Can we afford a war with a region sitting on oil? Do we have a military capable of delivering our goal? Would it not be cheaper to renegotiate our federation? Or, would it be another Rehoboamic declaration of "To your tents o Israel"? GEJ ain't clueless, he's merely troubled by the plots he's a key player in Viva Le Nigeria!" Ajagzy Okunrin Ogun..

olamega:
@saharachic, what do you think about this write up, it might answer your question:

Forwarded as Received.
I was in conversation with a United Nation official yesterday and we were talking about the acquisition of warships by ethnic militant Tompolo, in a country were our brave soldiers are being starved off equipments. He told me point blank that in every major conflict he has assessed or being involved in as a UN official it all started with one fellow choosing to ARM an ETHNIC MILITIA as against the national army of the country, sometimes deliberately depleting the army before the violence starts.

I first got reports of Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo buying military helicopters and hardware from diplomatic intelligence sources about 2 years ago. Shortly after that he was arrested in Benin Republic but released upon the intervention of our government. What I can see is very clear, JONATHAN is leading an effort to create an alternate military force in the Niger Delta to force the hands of the generality of NIGERIANS when the time comes. How else can one explain Tompolo a man once declared wanted for killing our soldiers now effectively taking over the duties of our navy?

Where is all the money coming from? Do you think the arms are being bought for boat parade or regatta? No they are to kill NIGERIANS. JONATHAN has never been able to rise to fill the position of the NIGERIAN Presidency, he acts like an ethnic warlord and at the rate he is going he is going to push us into the path of Liberia and Sierra Leone, while silly people are busy cheering him on. I have taken it upon myself to write a letter of complaint and warning to the United Nations Secretary General to pay attention to what JONATHAN and his cohorts are doing in Nigeria, seemingly pushing the country closer to a violent ethnic crisis. This crisis would consume the entire African continent if not checked.

This morning I received this in my inbox, and I couldn't help but shudder that we are dealing with really devious human beings who have mistakenly found themselves in power. Their attitude and body language says it all:

"I'm really amused that we are all screaming murder years after the deed was done? It's well over 3 years that I have been screaming the overall plans and strategies of the south-south vs the behemoth Nigeria, i.e, their eventual emancipation! For the sake of many who have not read or few who have taken these posts as scare mongering by Oyenuga Lanre Paul, I'll re summarise them here. To free their region of the shackles of endless exploitation and domination by the rest of Nigeria, the south-south decided as follow: 1). Cripple the Nigerian Army's capacities to engage in sustained warfare: thus the encouragement of BH and decimation of the army's hardware and personnel. 2). Ensure Nigeria is economically destitute and unable to spend on warfare: thus the unprecedented looting of the treasury, resulting in our current vulnerability. Okonjo Iweala is not 'coordinating' for nothing. 3rd is the military takeover of our coastal waters by the south-south, which is what the coastal waterways protection contract with Government Tompolo was designed to guarantee. Let no one be deceived, less than 0.5% of our military, (including naval and air force) personnel can swim in an 8 foot deep pool, not to mention a river or coastal waters. Thus, how do you engage these toughened militia in their coastal waters, when we couldn't tackle BH in plain view? 4th is the intense frustrations of the oil producing companies by the south-southerners nouveau-riche to hand over the onshore production bases to them by forced sale or outright disruption of their operations. As we chat here, 70% of the onshore operations have been sold off by the major players like shell, Mobil, etc.
As well as the training of ex militants as pilots under amnesty
Anyone doubting my claims of warning about these can browse through my timeline. IF THE SOUTH-SOUTH PULLS OUT TODAY, WE ARE SITTING DUCKS! The South-East are tagging along with the south-south, for obvious reasons and I don't blame them!
The choice of Buhari is due to these calculations by our rulers in the South-West and the core North. Unless I'm paranoid, we have a scary situation ahead. I moved my family out as far back as 2011, based on this concerns. GEJ will very likely lose the elections in 2015, but the south-south will keep their oil. Can we afford a war with a region sitting on oil? Do we have a military capable of delivering our goal? Would it not be cheaper to renegotiate our federation? Or, would it be another Rehoboamic declaration of "To your tents o Israel"? GEJ ain't clueless, he's merely troubled by the plots he's a key player in Viva Le Nigeria!" Ajagzy Okunrin Ogun..

True word bro, this is the reality on ground. Nigeria will be gone soon, except jonathan willfully resigns and takes all his corrupt goons with him. The rot is too much.