Carriers as helo platforms
 

WEBF wrote, "I seem to remember that in the mid 1990s the US moved troops into the Carribean state of Haiti and amongst the ships sent was a carrier. Instead of carrying the normal air group she was carrying helicopters including Apaches. So it has been done."

That's correct WE, and in fact there is an even more recent example, that of the USS Kitty hawk offloading its air wing and embarking only US Army and USMC helos at the start of the Afghanistan campaign in late 01.

The idea of using army helos, regardless of type, from naval platforms is not a new one. Most new types are cleared on potential naval platforms in case a contingency arises where such a combination would be required. It doesn't necessarily mean that helo needs to be navalised by the addition of folding rotors, tailbooms and treated drivetrains etc for long term shipborne ops.

The Australian Army operated Black Hawks from RAN LPAs in East Timor and the Solomon Islands in recent years with great success, because someone had the foresight to conduct 'first of class' clearance trials a few years back. ;)

Makes sense to me.

Cheers :ok:

Some interesting (?) links
 

Apache AH MK1 - DPA

Attack Helicopter Team - Army

UK Apche Resource Centre

Navaleye,

Your statement...."By the summer an operational unit consisting of four Apaches and two Lynx helicopters will be merged into 16 Air Assault Brigade — Britain’s answer, on a much smaller scale, to the American 101st “Screaming Eagles” Division. Next year a full battle group of 16 Apaches and eight Lynxes will be operational, but it will take until 2007 for the whole Apache force to reach full war-ready status. The Apache programme began in the early 1990s."...almost sounds like a Yank talking. I would suggest two Lynx and four Apaches do not an Airmobile Division make....heck...it ain't even a platoon formation for a "lift company" and there's four platoons in the company. Now I know the British Army is the only professional military in the world and all...but do give us a break here. We got more Apaches doing gate guard duty on iron poles than that!
:E

And I suspect that by the time we get all our AH out of the packing cases and up and running you good folks will still have more of them sat on poles guarding gates:E

Smart procurement:ok:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

Navaleye: Let's analyse that:

four Apaches and two Lynx helicopters - enough to support an assault on a well-dug in battalion sized force

16 Apaches and eight Lynxes - about what you'd need to assualt an armoured brigade plus its support

"but it will take until 2007 for the whole Apache force to reach full war-ready status. The Apache programme began in the early 1990s" Sorry Mr Dictator, you'll have to wait until we are ready to take on your T72s and ZSU 23-4s....

15 years + to get one type of one aircraft ready for service, while the rest of the British Army suffers death by a thousand cuts - glad I'm out of it.