In keeping with the heli-hauling theme – Chad sometime in the 1980s. The Mi-24 is, I think, Libyan, the Chinook American.

I would say the An-72 has no equivalent in the West!

Regards
Pioneer

There was a similar aircraft in the ‘West’! YC-14:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YC-14

Although the nearest Western equivalent aircraft that actually entered service would probably be the Aeritalia G.222. Field performance might be similar?

It may sound like a slow tempo of testing, 100 sorties in the space of 21 months, but:

Although many of the initial flight test targets have been accomplished, the F-35 testing program completed “just under 100 sorties and about as many hours in 2.5 years” by June 2009 and was falling significantly behind schedule.[215] A 2008 Pentagon Joint Estimate Team (JET I) estimated that the program was two years behind the latest public schedule, and a 2009 Joint Estimate Team (JET II) revised that estimate to predict a 30-month delay.[216]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-35#Operational_history

I have no knowledge of the Vietnam/F-111 case (too young you see), but there are plenty of cases where infantry fire has provided mission or hard-kills, e.g.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/call/call_2-88_chpt4.htm

Interesting document, but it mainly refers to the number of helicopters shot down by small arms fire, which is certainly possible. But an F-111 is just a little bit faster and would not be carrying out a mission profile that would allow infantrymen the time to take aim and fire.

The fact is: incredible claims can only be supported by some incredible evidence.

The F-111s flew at night, approaching the airbases very low at transonic speeds. They would drop bombs timed detonations, crater the runway and, mines to explode when mechanized equipment came to repair the runways. The F-111s also dropped extremely bright flares that flashed then burn very bright. This bothered the AAA gunner’s eyesight and night vision goggles.

I believe only 6 or so F-111s were shot down by the Vietnamese during the war, they were pretty much defenceless against it. I wonder if the Warsaw Pact could have fared any better?

That is correct. You usually never see pictures of US or British AH-64s operating in Afghanistan with all 4 pylons occupied, usually just 2 of the pylons would have a 70mm rocket pod fitted.
It’s the same with pictures of Mi-24/Mi-35 in Afghanistan – only 2 pylons occupied in most cases.

The RuAf is also getting new Ruslans? but they don’t even keep flying the An-124s they have listed in their inventory. The RuAf has about 24 or so listed in service – but only 6 or so actually fly. Why would they need to buy new airframes?:confused:

http://russianplanes.net/registr/Antonov/An-124

http://russianplanes.net/ID32885
http://russianplanes.net/ID32885