2 ms·
Apples and oranges. A switchblade is only ever useful against a target. It doesn't have the firepower to suppress enemy movement, to cover an allied advance,
by sandworm101 4y ago
Apples and oranges. A switchblade is only ever useful against a target. It doesn't have the firepower to suppress enemy movement, to cover an allied advance, or decimate an area of ground when you cannot pinpoint a target's exact position. A helicopter with some FFARs and a machine gun can.
If the helicopter can do something that no drone can, then it does compete regardless of the extra cost/complexity/manpower needed to deploy it.
- simonh 4y agoExactly this, it ludicrous to try and compare the cost of a handful of switchblade drones, which are single use with a warhead equivalent to a light mortar shell, to an entire attack helicopter deployment. No question helps are very expensive, but the vast majority of the costs are incurred whether you deploy it or not. They can range over hundreds of miles performing a wide variety of tasks and carry far more capable sensor, communications and weapon systems than drones. As I said I think drones are here and very capable, and they’re the future for these sorts of missions, but we’re not quite there yet.