01 Jun 2005, 19:23
Well, I've heard recently that the army is getting a couple new helicopters, both bases on off-the-shelf commercial models already in production. Unfortunatly I can't remember what they were going to be for, but I don't think either were going to be combat variants, more 'support' models. I also agree with what someone (can't remember who) posted a while ago; the army needs to update their tactics. Most of the higher-ups still have the 'hide behind the mountain and pop up to kill waves of tanks' mentality. That is why they like the mast mount radar/recon systems so much. I don't think this type of flying is still really relevant now; the pilot is focusing on holding the hover while the WSO (or whatever the army calls them) works the sysyems; neither is looking around for the guy on the ground with an RPG, which can hit a hovering helicopter pretty easy.
The marines, on the other hand, evidently teach their pilots to keep moving; always in an orbit, maneuvering around, etc, which makes them alot harder to hit. The new AH-1 supposedly has the Longbow's radar, but mounted in the nose instead of on a mast, since they don't try to just sit behind a hill and hide the whole time. Just my thoughts.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.