To me, events like the one in Bor, South Sudan are hilarious. Yes, hilarious. The tiltrotor Kool-Aid drinkers continue to fantasize that the V-22 is "better" than a conventional helicopter. To wit:
riff-raff:
The V-22 should have less potential to threats like small arms fire or RPGs than a conventional rotorcraft. The V-22 spends less time flying at low altitudes.
"Should" have? All very well and good, but it really comes down to the LZ, doesn't it? Yes, as long as the V-22 can cruise in a way that minimizes its exposure to "small-arms fire" it's golden. Then again, I suppose a helicopter could do the same, no?
But then we must eventually land somewhere. And in that old "fog of war" thing, sometimes the wrong guy shoots the wrong guy, which we don't like to admit but does happen (:::cough-cough::: Pat Tillman).
I joked that the V-22's in Bor were deterred by naked teenagers with pea shooters and spears. Then I was immediately criticized as knowing nothing about war, NOTHING! To prove the point, pictures were displayed of well-armed rebel forces in camo uniforms, holding bazookas while sitting on tanks, which certainly exceeds the definition of "small arms." And then it turns out (thanks to Udakat's supposedly first-hand description) that the unarmed V-22's were shot at by...well...teenagers with pea shooters. HAHAHAHAHAHAH.
So...let's recap. If the V-22 does a fast, straight-in approach it's likely to crash (Marana, 4/2000 and Afghanistan, 4/2010). If the V-22 does a circling, recon-type approach it's likely to get shot up by either enemy forces or uneducated teenage "friendlies" who don't know what the hell it is and assume it to be hostile. Or maybe it'll just crash while "maneuvering" (a USAF one in 2009 that they won't talk about, one in Morocco, 4/2012 and one on Eglin AFB, 6/2012).
Yup, sooooooooo much better than a helicopter!
And yes, yes...I know that all aircraft crash- don't bother to remind me. I just find it curious that the V-22 crashes so often considering that only about 160 of the things have been built so far (as opposed to...
how many helicopters?). The Osprey production line is going to have to be continued if for no other reason than to replace the ones the U.S. military keeps crashing!
We are left to wonder which idiot General made the misguided decision to swap the C-130's for *four* V-22s in Bor? We are left to wonder why the V-22 mission continued despite and in the midst of, according to Udakat,
"...an Air Raid carried out by the Govt Jets over Rebel Positions not far from Bor." We are left to wonder why there was no drone or other surveillance to give the V-22 crews real-time intel? We are left to wonder why the V-22s had no air support.
LOTS went wrong with that mission and I suspect, not knowing ANYTHING about the military or war, that somebody is going to get his ass handed to him by somebody higher up in rank.
I mean, I get it. The military is desperate to use the V-22 in different ways that to prove that it really, really, really...
we swear!...is a good aircraft.
COMMANDING GENERAL:
"Hey, here's a perfect mission for the Osprey! Let's send it to extract the Americans in Bor! Cancel the C-130's. Send the V-22's!!"
UNDERLING:
"Good plan, sir! You are without a doubt a military genius! Uhhh...do you want me to arrange for some fighters for cover?"
COMMANDING GENERAL:
"Naaahhhh, they'll be fine. Quick in and out. That's what they do, right? I mean, that's what the Osprey community keeps telling me. We'll prove to that damn FH1100 guy that the V-22's are battle-proven aircraft that can get the job done! Fire 'em up!!"
But in the end they did
not "get the job done," and now the U.S. military has to figure out some other way to do it. My guess is that they'll go back to Plan A.