Originally posted by davidpt40
Yeah, I meant to say production.
the Apache is relatively fragile.
You know absolutely nothing about the Apache. They are an extremely tough helicopter. Rotary wing aircraft are inherently more apt to become unflyable to battle damage. That's the price for having to rely on a rotating wing that ceases to generate lift if it stops spinning. However, the Apache is able to take an amazing amount of battle damage compared to other helicopters. I've seen this first hand.
As Toad said, the debacle at Karbala had nothing to do with the equipment and everything to do with tactics. Our helicopter force has certain advantages that were not used during this operation. Conducting a deep strike mission in broad daylight with no reconnaissance is usually a poor idea. The Apache's strengths are it's ability to attack at night and from a standoff distance.
The fact that 30 were shot up and all but one returned to base should be a testament to its toughness, not a strike against it. I read that article yesterday, and that guy is full of ****. Saying that a weapons program should be scrapped because of a few training accidents? That's ludicrous.
Just FYI rpm371, the Commanche is not meant to replace the Apache. It is being developed to fill a gap in our capabilities at the moment. It will eventually replace the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior in the armed reconnaissance role. It will be far more lethal than the Kiowa though. In the past, the Cavalry air troops used a mix of Kiowas and Cobras. With the demise of the Cobra, the Kiowa has had to assume both roles. It has a very limited payload though. The Commanche will be able to play both roles well. The Apache will still be the heavy hitter in the Attack helicopter units though.
