Author Topic: This had to be embarrassing... (Read 170 times)

gofaster · « **on:** September 05, 2002, 10:02:28 AM »

From my weekly AvWeb updates:

FUTURE UNCLEAR FOR ARMY'S STEALTH HELICOPTER: The RH-66 Comanche Stealth Helicopter will face perhaps its toughest obstacle to date -- a review by the Defense Acquisition Board that can either clear the aircraft for final production or kill the project in favor of freeing up money for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's "transformational" technologies. The latest test flight in the Florida everglades was cancelled when an engine malfunction grounded the aircraft ... in front of a gaggle of politicians and reporters that had been flown in from Washington, D.C., to witness the triumph that wasn't. Future funding for the program may be headed for projects such as unmanned aerial vehicles, intelligence satellites, missile-defense networks and more intelligent smart bombs.

Wlfgng · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2002, 10:08:57 AM »

the US military is too reliant on technology IMO.

I guess we didn't learn the lessons of simplicity and overwhelming numbers,

LePaul · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2002, 10:51:13 AM »

Aww, that's too bad...the Commanche program has been very interesting to watch develop.

Cancel it? Eh gad...the Discovery Wings channel will run out of programming...they are still running stupid shows that hail the development of the long cancelled X33 project, which was to replace the space shuttle.

Bad luck happens....the V-22 Osprey is still alive, perhaps the Commanche will get another go.

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2002, 10:55:51 AM »

I can't quite figure out the V-22 survival. Is it just because the last one hasn't crashed yet?

Its a cool concept with a couple of serious design issues that nobody seems able to overcome.

AKDejaVu