Textron AirLand, LLC, a joint venture between Textron Inc. and AirLand Enterprises, LLC, has announced that the Scorpion intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike aircraft completed its first flight on December 12, 2013.

The aircraft took off from McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas, and conducted a range of handling manoeuvrs for approximately 1.4 hours of flight. The flight marks one of the fastest developments of a US-built tactical jet, progressing from initial design to first flight in less than 24 months.

The Scorpion was announced in September 2013 as a demonstration aircraft designed to accommodate the budget constraints and shifting mission requirements of the US Department of Defense and US partner nations. Powered by twin turbofan engines generating 8,000 lbs of thrust, the Scorpion transitions easily between low speed and high-subsonic speed, as needed for diverse missions such as irregular warfare, border patrol, maritime surveillance, emergency relief, counter-narcotics and air defence operations.