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Army CANCELS COMACHE HELICOPTER!
- Thread starter Jadow
- Start date
maddogchen
Diamond Member
NOOOOOOOOOOO they looked so cool in the movie Hulk. But seriously they really need to make a helicopter that doesn't make noise so that people 10 miles away won't hear it, and go set up their stingers.
CaptnKirk
Lifer
Reuters
FOX News
Washington Post - Sign Up
<CLIP>
The Army has decided to cancel its Comanche helicopter program, a multi-billion project to build a new-generation chopper for armed reconnaissance missions, officials said Monday.
The contractors for Comanche are Boeing Co. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
With about $8 billion already invested in the program, and the production line not yet started, the cancellation is one of the largest in the history of the Army. It follows the Pentagon's decision in 2002 to cancel the Crusader artillery program -- against the wishes of Army leaders.
FOX News
Washington Post - Sign Up
<CLIP>
The Army has decided to cancel its Comanche helicopter program, a multi-billion project to build a new-generation chopper for armed reconnaissance missions, officials said Monday.
The contractors for Comanche are Boeing Co. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
With about $8 billion already invested in the program, and the production line not yet started, the cancellation is one of the largest in the history of the Army. It follows the Pentagon's decision in 2002 to cancel the Crusader artillery program -- against the wishes of Army leaders.
Bloody hell. thats surprising.
still, as tnitsuj says, all that low observable tech, while very useful in the event of a soviet invasion of western Europe, wouldn't make it any more survivable than an apache in the situations we see them deployed in today.
Edit :
but BDB, how exactly would stealth have helped in Iraq? The helicopters shot down so far have been shot down by very low tech weapons, AFAIK , and all the anti-radar reflective technology in the world isn't going to stop a guy with a gun shooting at you as you thunder overhead in a Commanche.
still, as tnitsuj says, all that low observable tech, while very useful in the event of a soviet invasion of western Europe, wouldn't make it any more survivable than an apache in the situations we see them deployed in today.
Edit :
but BDB, how exactly would stealth have helped in Iraq? The helicopters shot down so far have been shot down by very low tech weapons, AFAIK , and all the anti-radar reflective technology in the world isn't going to stop a guy with a gun shooting at you as you thunder overhead in a Commanche.
maddogchen
Diamond Member
Yes I agree, and since the Army usually gets the bulk of the budget, and the marines very little, I don't think they would ever agree to give the Army money to the marines for amphibious groups.
BTW, the Comanche is 1st and foremost a scout/observer helicopter meant to replace the AH-1 and OH-58s in inventory. The Apache will still be around regardless as an attack helicopter.
The program was getting out of hand. The current prices was over $30 million PER UNIT. For a helicopter???
The program was getting out of hand. The current prices was over $30 million PER UNIT. For a helicopter???
That is one factor, although the datalink capability isn't fully evolved yet..and may not be neccessary considering the threats we are likely to be facing.
We can convert the remaining AH64A models to Ds with longbow radars for around $15 million each , and they have resolved the bearing and tail rotor problem as far as I know.
dmcowen674
No Lifer
My gosh. The Comanche has been around so long I had no idea they never got them off the ground as far as production. That's beyond ridiculous, as good as Sikorsky is at Helicopters they deserve to go down in flames because of this. SOB's.
Same goes for Lockheed, how long are they taking to get the F-22 into Production?
They were shot up by ground fire from people looking at them and shooting them with guns. There is no stealth against vision. The commanche was never meant to be a replacement to the apache, it was a low observable (radar) helicopter for scouting. We don't need the bloody thing anymore.
maddogchen
Diamond Member
I think we do, besides stealth, low observable things. the Commanche is also quieter than most helicopters. With Apaches, you can hear it a mile away, so you can get to your anti-aircraft gun and be ready for it. With a Commanche, you won't hear it coming until its too late, and when you're running for the gun, he'll pop up on your ass and kill you.
dmcowen674
No Lifer
Scrap it, put Lockheed out of business, that's beyond nuts.
maddogchen
Diamond Member
CaptnKirk
Lifer
There are currently 11 'Production' F-22's flying in Flight Test and Evaluation programs,
with the 12th ready to be added to the Flight Test Fleet.
These 'Test' aircraft have flown over 2,300 flight missions,
and have accrewed over 5,000 log hours of 'In the Air' flight time.
It will be the most tested aircraft to ever enter the Air Force inventory.
After these aircraft have finished thier 'Test Operations', there will be retrofits of equipment
that shall have driven the fully matured 'Production' model, then they will join the 'Operational' Fleet.
with the 12th ready to be added to the Flight Test Fleet.
These 'Test' aircraft have flown over 2,300 flight missions,
and have accrewed over 5,000 log hours of 'In the Air' flight time.
It will be the most tested aircraft to ever enter the Air Force inventory.
After these aircraft have finished thier 'Test Operations', there will be retrofits of equipment
that shall have driven the fully matured 'Production' model, then they will join the 'Operational' Fleet.
i'm sure the variable cost is far lower than that.
this is what happens with defense programs. they spend tons of money developing tech, so in order to get the total cost down they cut the number of products ordered. then people find out how much each costs because the development costs are just divided in, and get outraged at how much each costs. nevermind that most of the development work was probably done and already paid for.
The commanche was designed to carry almost no munitions (2 bays of I think 14 hellfires, you could add wings that held more but it killed the stealth nature). This is NOT an attack helicopter, it was designed to be a scout. With UAV's we don't need it anymore. Why put a solider at risk when you can send up a $10,000 UAV. As tnitusj said these cold war weapon systems are not needed and are quickly being made irrelevant by technology. The apache we currently have is far supperior to other weapon systems in the world, continued refinement of that platform should be where any money is spent.
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