PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Future battlefield reconnaissance helicopters
Old 22nd Mar 2012, 13:34
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Melchett01
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Darling - where are we?
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I don't believe she is part of the package.
More's the pity. Then again, knowing our procurement process, we'd probably end up with her being late and arriving 10 years down the line after 3kids with a couple of stone extra ballast.

On a more serious note, Jollygreengiant has an excellent point. Going back to my slightly flippant comment on procurement, Wildcat clearly has its genesis in the Cold War, when we expected our aviation assets to be operating a very low level out on the flanks, peering over hedgerows into the distance to pick up targets.

Looking out to the future and the likely mission profiles and threat environments, the ability to peer over a hedge doesn't have much utility when you are conducting urban operations or trying to provide persistent surveillance over a target - unless of course you want to set yourself up as a nice juicy target by flying constant rate turn to keep eyes on the target.

Not sure what the answer is - well - actually I know what the answer is, just not sure it is politically or fiscally acceptable in these straightened times.
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