It looks a lot like the Advanced Technology Tactical Transport (ATTT) proof-of-concept demonstrator too.

What won’t Bert Rutan get involved with?

Guys: I thought long and hard about COD planes before I gave my answer and now I will justify it…

C-2 Greyhound: NO, the US wants to keep these in their service. They don’t have many and they are always complaining that there aren’t enough of them around, the USN will be taking one squadron out of service to have them undergo modifications (including the eight bladed Hartzell props), before putting them back in service and having them go untill 2025. The slack is to be taken up by a redeployment of the other squadrons to cover the areas, this will see some C-2’s based here in Australia on detachments to cover the sea swaps.

Merlin: Again no, with French pride at stake and EADS being involved in the NH-90 project that is why I listed the smaller helo for the role.

V-22: If the french do opt for this machine it will be a long way off. It’s just starting to be accepted in a limited capacity role with the US, there is still much work to be done with these machines before they are available for export. Australia has had it’s eye on these machiones for sometime as well and we have more of a chance at buying them than France has atm.

The reason I sugested the US-3 Viking, is because the American’s are retiring them at a fast rate and have started talking with other countries in an effort to off load them. France could buy some and have themconverted to the COD role (or even buy those that are in storage). The only problems I can see are pollitical. But in all honesty it would be the best option for French COD and British COD for that matter (though I think they’d opt for Merlins).

As for Russian and the S-80 as a COD, I don’t know, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great plane and all (I even looked at buying it for a private venture down here). The only thing is, can it take off loaded in the short run that carrier ops offer?

yeeeeeaaaahhhhh anyway back on topic.

As for the French I think it will either come down to the NH-90 being used for COD much like the Super Frelon was used back in the old days. This or they might score some US-3 Vikings from the Yanks

this might sound a little silly but does anyone know about the HALO system used by the Specfors? (High Altitude Low Opening), it’s a bomb like cannister that has a guidence head on it, much like the ones used on the LGB’s, and is used to drop supplies in behind the lines whilest the dorp plane remains out of reach of most SAMS.

I’ll dig up the ones I have in a mag (I think it was AFM or AI) and it shows a pod that had two people seated in it.

Scoot: you are a bleeding legend mate, it’s different to the one I saw before but very much like the one I visualised many years ago.

To tell you the truth, I got the idea watching the old BBC series “The World at War” all about WWII, I remember seeing Russian paratroops climbing out of nooks on a Tu-4.

I’ve recently seen pictures of the Harrier Designed Pods.

Scoot: mate share the wealth, post the designs, I know for one I’d like to see them (mainly to see if they are anything like what I immagined many years ago.