Vortex, yes I think they are pretty expensive.

Steva are you sure the OH-58D will be handed down to the National Guard and Reserve units when the Comanche enters service ? I think I read that they are planning to withdraw the H-58D from service.

Originally posted by Vympel
Just a point: the Osirak ‘reactor’ was a pathetic research reactor, incapable of providing any real impetus to Iraq’s then non-existent nuclear program. In fact, it was only after the reactor was bombed that Saddam even started an effort towards nuclear weapons (one which was stopped decisively come 1991). Israel didn’t do anything that great in boming Osirak.

In fact they finished the job the IRIAF started.

Originally posted by flex297
I wonder why do they have such urgent need for stop-gap. Who would attack Austria anyway? If someone had the intentions, the bunch of Drakens would not have done too much.

On along run it does not matter whether the Typhoon comes 2006 or 2007.. Who givs a damn.. This is no excuse for ordering F-35 and funding US aerospace industry.. This aircraft has nothing lost in European airforces. If even Europeans should buy F-35, what was the development of the Typhoon for?

Because the numbers of problems with the Drakens have increased.

AH-1 Cobra gunship, cause my mother told me to fly low, where i can see people. 😀

But not for a fixed price 😀

Originally posted by Vortex
i don’t know why you guys are so fixated by the usage of the Comanchee like the Apache…the Army have realize that a few years ago’s atempt to make the Comanchee like the Apache is a mistake, but fortunately they realized that, it’s not too late. Stealth and speed is always a scout’s best friend no matter what kind of platform you are. Some of you are so uninformed about the Comanchee’s capabilities that you become fixated by the stealth aspect of it. Believe me, that’s not the most important characteristic of the Comanchee. And that’s also not the reason why it stayed in development. And that’s also why the F22 is so expensive.

“grow up”? Absolutely, i’m glad you noticed what needs to be done when i’m simply imitating you. :rolleyes: 😀 😀 😀 Ok, i’ll stop imitating you, but i’m not quite sure that’s the “grow up” part in your response 😀 😀 😀 nice mirror isn’t it? 😀 😀 😀

I disagree. The Comanche will not be invisible to the human eye and afaik most looses to the OH-58D came from RPGs. Ok Comanche is more nimble and has more power then the OH-58, but is it worth it ?? I´m certain it will a a very low IR signature, making it hard to get a lock-on with a manpad, but this can also be achieved with a more conventional design. .

My fear is that the army will loose numbers. And in current conflicts I would rather have more but less capable scouts.

Just imagine a NOTAR design like a modern OH-6. You can use it for light support, recon and even Medevac or light transport. Remove the weapons and add some loudspeakers and you have a Psyop bird.
With the new brigade structure planned for the army I would rather have every brigade 24 of those instead only 6-10 Comanches.

The best replacement for the RAH-66 would be an modern version of the OH-6. Give it NOTAR and a could protection against IR guided missiles. Add some armor and a belly mounted 12,7 gun turret.

Hardpoints for FFARs and Hellfire.

You could probably buy thousands of those insted of the Comanches and they would be much better in the small wars the US is facing. (Rather have a not so advanced helo around, then a Stealth helo that is not there)

Originally posted by PAF Fan
🙁
Oh dear!

Glad I am not a General in the Pakistan Army!

🙂

Well I can give you a list of reasons why that will happen.

1) Look at the deep strike the US Army tried with the AH-64Ds during OIF. Nearly all AH-64 were hit, but only 1 lost. That was against a rather badly equipped and uncoordinated enemy without an existing threat from enemy helicopters or fighters.

2) The most probable conflict area would be the desert. So the Cobras will have to work without adequate cover.

3) Going over the enemy frontlines means exposing the Cobras to enemy air defenses and to enemy CAPs that will surely be operating over the frontline.

4) You can´t do much manouvering while guiding a TOW missile. So that means either to hover (like the US Army did) or flying in a relative straight line. Some things you would not want to do.

So now plz explain to me, why they should succeed operating behind enemy lines.