Priorities?
Wildcat will come good eventually we just need a “ruddy good war” to fix it first because only then does money become available. AH didn’t arrive in the state it is now, Afghan helped.
As for the WC radar I’m no expert but I know a bit on EW. When I challenged a well informed individual about the chin radar rather than a mast he was adamant it no longer needs to be atop the mast as modern software can filter a lot of the ground clutter out. I’m no engineer, I don’t know but I do know AESA plus some processors can do wonders. It could be something unique on the battlefield in the land environment. A SAR that can cut around at high speed with relative LO characteristics. Surely worthwhile to a Div or Bde commander?
But we haven’t got it so ...meh. Make do with a camera, hardly as useful disappointingly.
But what grinds my gears is-
The saddest thing I find for the AAC is that it appears to lack a big direction or end state. The axe is swinging but other than AH there isn’t much to justify what we intend to do in 10-20 years. Just a bit more of the same if they’ll let us.
We are in for big changes there is the transition from D model AH to E, MFTS, end of Gz, FW to RAF, eventually 212 changing over and by the way Lynx and some of its missions are dead for the AAC but not defence. It saves money fine but what effects are we to deliver in the peer plus/peer enemy environment. The AAC is part of the deterrence and modern capability piece.
If this was all going on to enable an Avn force that can use, hunt and kill UAS, protect or kill HVTs in a Div or Bde fight then it would make sense. Unfortunately to my humble gaze we appear to be getting salami sliced with not much of a corner to claim as our own.
Rant complete, record target as DR1P.