Defence of the Realm: Gaining momentum
Interesting article.
Linking to:
August 7, 2009: The U.S. Navy is developing a dedicated close air support aircraft for its SEAL commandos. The Navy has leased an EMB-314 Super Tucano aircraft, and is testing it in desert ranges in California, and at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland. It is the culmination of a yearlong project codenamed ‘Imminent Fury.’ This is an effort to provide a low cost aircraft to perform armed intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions. If proven successful, four more aircraft will be bought and sent to Afghanistan.
A two seat, single engine turbo prop, the Super Tucano seems made for the Counter Insurgency (COIN) environment, especially in built up areas where airstrikes have been criticized due to sometimes high civilian casualties. Such controversy fueled a decision not to use airstrikes near villages unless a unit was on the verge of being overrun.
Might well be more fun being part of a 350 airframe RAF force of Super Tucanos than being part of a very small RAF force of super fast wizzy things...
Much more Biggles. Much more useful. I don't know.
Gotta be more fun than QRA in Lincolnshire?
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