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> the ones capable of playing in the big leagues where you'd quite like them to come back are just as expensive as manned aircraft. Yes, the US relies on expe

by 7952 11y ago

> the ones capable of playing in the big leagues where you'd quite like them to come back are just as expensive as manned aircraft. Yes, the US relies on expensive technology in either drones or manned aircraft. What they are loosing is the ability to have pilots get close to the enemy and actually utilise their eyes.

cptskippy 11y ago
I guess a question I have is does the lack of pilot eyes on the target present a problem? It seems like the move is away from pilots having eyes on target because it puts them at greater risk. The primary weapon of most CAS aircraft, with the AC-130 being a notable exception, are guided missiles. One of the notable upgrades to the Apache Longbow was the Hellfire II launch system that introduced fire and forget capability so that the Apache, or ground forces, didn't need to paint the target until the missile hit. Has the effectiveness of CAS aircraft gone down with the introduction of these types of systems?
- Recurecur 11y ago
  Actually the Apache has a reasonably effective 30mm cannon that works well in many CAS situations. As far as guided weapons go, the GPS guided bombs are the preferred CAS solution. Current laser designators compute the map coordinates of target locations. These are then uploaded to the aircraft, and then to the weapons. Shortly thereafter the weapons land within a couple of meters of the designated spot. The "eyes on the target" are the eyes of the ground troops, who have the greatest interest in eliminating said target. The use of GPS guided bombs means that CAS aircraft can loiter at fairly high altitudes (> 5000 ft), and drop munitions as needed. This eliminates the need for titanium bathtubs and the like.
  - cptskippy 11y ago
    > Actually the Apache has a reasonably effective 30mm cannon that works well in many CAS situations. The cannon on the Apache is secondary, the Hellfire II system is the primary weapon of the Apache Longbow. > As far as guided weapons go, the GPS guided bombs are the preferred CAS solution. I would say that any fire and forget system is preferred, which includes smart bombs but also the Hellfire II system utilized by Apache Longbows and drones. > The use of GPS guided bombs means that CAS aircraft can loiter at fairly high altitudes (> 5000 ft) I'm not disagreeing with you but the Hellfire II system is fire-and-forget, has an 8km range, and is utilized heavily on drone platforms operating at high altitudes.

by 7952 11y ago

cptskippy 11y ago

I guess a question I have is does the lack of pilot eyes on the target present a problem? It seems like the move is away from pilots having eyes on target because it puts them at greater risk. The primary weapon of most CAS aircraft, with the AC-130 being a notable exception, are guided missiles. One of the notable upgrades to the Apache Longbow was the Hellfire II launch system that introduced fire and forget capability so that the Apache, or ground forces, didn't need to paint the target until the missile hit. Has the effectiveness of CAS aircraft gone down with the introduction of these types of systems?

Recurecur 11y ago
Actually the Apache has a reasonably effective 30mm cannon that works well in many CAS situations. As far as guided weapons go, the GPS guided bombs are the preferred CAS solution. Current laser designators compute the map coordinates of target locations. These are then uploaded to the aircraft, and then to the weapons. Shortly thereafter the weapons land within a couple of meters of the designated spot. The "eyes on the target" are the eyes of the ground troops, who have the greatest interest in eliminating said target. The use of GPS guided bombs means that CAS aircraft can loiter at fairly high altitudes (> 5000 ft), and drop munitions as needed. This eliminates the need for titanium bathtubs and the like.
- cptskippy 11y ago
  > Actually the Apache has a reasonably effective 30mm cannon that works well in many CAS situations. The cannon on the Apache is secondary, the Hellfire II system is the primary weapon of the Apache Longbow. > As far as guided weapons go, the GPS guided bombs are the preferred CAS solution. I would say that any fire and forget system is preferred, which includes smart bombs but also the Hellfire II system utilized by Apache Longbows and drones. > The use of GPS guided bombs means that CAS aircraft can loiter at fairly high altitudes (> 5000 ft) I'm not disagreeing with you but the Hellfire II system is fire-and-forget, has an 8km range, and is utilized heavily on drone platforms operating at high altitudes.