PPRuNe Forums - British attack helicopters operating in Libya (merged)

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- - British attack helicopters operating in Libya (merged) (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/452458-british-attack-helicopters-operating-libya-merged.html)

PS: Don't mention Israel gunning down 20-30 unarmed civilians.

Well, it looks like the Apache will need quite a bit of work doing to it before it embarks again. I wonder if it's all affordable?

UK eyes Apache modifications after Libyan experience - 26 Oct 2011

Quote:

It also exposed several shortcomings of the Apache for embarked operations, such as its current main rotor brake design, which was not strong enough under high wind conditions.

Crews also expressed concerns about the likely outcome of any ditching event, should they be unable to make it back to the ship.

"We need some sort of a flotation device, as the aircraft would sink like a stone," Tennant said. A new canopy jettison system would also be required, he said, as the current design could have fatal consequences if used once the aircraft is in the water.

The addition of an I-band transponder would aid crews' ability to navigate back to a ship, while an improvement is also needed in battery life to increase flight time from just 6min in the event of a total electrical system failure.

Stand by for a comment from, "you know who", he won't be able to resist

25 missions (40 planned) in 3 months if the article is to believed, that doesn't seem like a high utilization rate?

Standing by to be corrected/flamed!

LFFC, all of the issues mentioned in that Flight story were known about in MOD years before the Libyan deployment.

My main concern is corrosion. The Apache is simply not designed to be at sea and has many places where salt will gather and cause damage. The only thing the Army should be looking at is the U.S Block 3 modifications.