My bold, yet modest proposal is simply this.
Cancel the remaining purchase of the MV-22, give the remaining slots to USAF Special Operations so that they can beef up there numbers of CV-22's...and start buying Sikorsky Battle Hawks instead.
We need a medium lift helicopter that provides true multi-mission flexibility.
The Battle Hawk fills the bill.
We already see the trend with the UH-1Y.
Instead of buying the full planned compliment of AH-1Z, the Marine Corps truncated the buy and bought additional (or is planning to) Huey's instead.
We should build on this and get Battle Hawks.
If distributed operations become a reality then we will need to get the biggest bang out of our limited number of airframes.
It only makes sense.
You would have loved the S-67 Blackhawk.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iniXBYFLybs
Can you imagine these and AH-56 Cheyennes working together?
Wont you lose a lot of range swapping v-22s for h-60 derivative?
ReplyDeleteLess range = exposing the MEU ships to threats from shore based anti ship missiles.
Have to admin, I'm a fan of the v-22. It offers unique capabilities and is the only really innovative platform in the last few years.
we wouldn't be giving up the MV-22...just the remaining production slots.
ReplyDeleteadditionally Sikorsky is ready to start building the CH-53K. that helicopter will have the range of the MV-22 and be almost as fast yet will be able to carry a great deal more.
having the MH-60 Battle Hawk will only add back the utility that the CH-46 gave us as a medium swing role airplane. a mission that you can do with the V-22 but probably won't.