Bushranger, I know little about Armour, but I have worked with Cav units deploying APCs and later combinations of ASLAVs and Bushmasters. My understanding is that they are very happy with the current equipment and believe that many lives have been saved using bushmasters for battlefield mobility and patrolling with escort LAVs to provide direct fire support as required. Indeed the LAVs have been very effective in this role. The Cav blokes told me they feel the current equipment is more than adequate. Frankly, my experience in Bushmasters (cramped, hot, dangerous) scared the crap out of me and I will be happy if I never see another one again!
Regarding your post 109; I was referring to BVR engagements of Helos using either Radar or passive IR (still BVR) detection, as I am informed is possible with current and upcoming equipment. But I am no expert on this, I am only going on what I have been told by fighter pilots.
Obviously a UAV would face the same air-air threat, but the consequences would be much lessened. Also the loiter time would be such that even a small fleet could provide constant availlability to the task group - no wait time.
I don't know, but the attitude of the Army hierarchy may bear some respnsibility for the lack of direct fire support in place. For large pre-planned operations like the one at Derapat why was there not an ATO for CAS before the operation began?