Developing the T-6 Texan II has been one of the greatest decisions that Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) has ever made. The USAF has been flying T-6As as a primary pilot trainer for years. The Canadian and Hellenic air forces, among others, also love the plane. Knowing they have a good thing going, HBC has continued to develop their product for new markets and their efforts are really starting to pay off.

The US Navy has been using T-6As at Pensacola NAS for navigator training and is just starting to take delivery of T-6B models to replace its T-34C primary pilot trainer.

HBC also just signed a deal with the US Government to supply T-6 trainers to the Iraqi Air Force. The deal includes 8 aircraft with options for more, simulators, and full logistical support.

Beyond that, HBC has been marketing an armed version of their place for several years. They recently announced the first flight of their AT-6 Light Attack / Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft. At the time of the press release, they were already three weeks ahead of schedule.

Shortly after that announcement, they also noted that they've teamed with Lockheed Martin for systems integration on the AT-6B. They plan to use tactical systems based on those in the A-10C. After taking a look at the AT-6B spec sheet, I'm pretty impressed. The LAAR aircraft offers weapons, ISR sensors, secure communications, datalink, and more. In today's world of low-intensity conflicts and strained budgets, this aircraft has the potential to offer an exceptional value. HBC expects the USAF to launch an acquisition program for the AT-6B LAAR next year.

I've flown the T-6 and it's an absolute blast! I think anyone who's flown it would love to strap some weapons on and take it to a fight. I'm very interested to see how it performs with the added weight and drag that sensors and weapons will introduce. If it can retain even a portion of its performance, it seems like it'll be a much more flexible and effective asset than the MQ-9 Reaper against which it'll compete for work. It's only shortcoming in comparison to the MQ-9 will probably be short legs.

So, how do you beat a recession? How about offering a product with superior economy and performance. It sure can't hurt if that product has an outstanding track record with over 1 million flight hours and 500 aircraft delivered. All this (as far as I can tell) without any unsecured government (taxpayer) bailouts. If only some other US industries could figure this strategy out...