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Old 9th Oct 2021, 00:43
  #344 (permalink)  
etudiant
 
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Originally Posted by CTR
Based on this logic, the US Army should have stayed with the Huey like the US Marines.

The Bell (independent of Boeing) V-280 Valor is not a V-22 when it comes to cost per flight hour. The V-280 is based on Bell developed commercial aircraft technology, not 40 year old V-22 military technology. Commercial customers care a lot more about cost per flight hour than the military.
I appreciate that maintenance hours translate pretty directly into cost/flight hour.
That said, for military gear, serviceability is key. Hangar queens are rightly despised by all services, they are useless burdens impeding the ability to perform.
So imho the Army would be better served with stuff that works reliably, that has enough margin to continue even if something goes out. and that is easy to keep in shape, rather than with Avatar inspired contraptions that cost more but don't deliver proportionately.
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