SNAFU!

Whatever happened to those predicted "Helicopter Dogfights"?

Raise your hand if you've ever looked up and saw an AH-1W/Z zooming overhead with Sidewinder missiles on the tip.

Raise your hand if you remember reading in several military aviation publications (they're a dying breed unfortunately) and saw pics of AH-64's with twin packs of Stinger missiles on each wing tip along with articles talking about future "Helicopter Dogfights".

If you remember any of that then I ask the question.

Why isn't it front and center anymore?

We're talking about deep raids and even though our CH-53K's are gonna be mostly logistics they'll do troop insertions too (along with Army CH-47's). Our MV-22's will definitely be targeted by all sorts of anti-air to include enemy attack helicopters.

Not to muddy the waters even further but if we're talking about peer vs peer combat then this is probably one of the skill sets that needs to be discussed if not dusted off and put back into training (I don't even know if it's been taken out, I do know that it isn't in any of the stuff I've been reading lately).

Am I off base? Is this why the Marine Corps is talking about that super duper UAV that will supposedly do it all? Has technology basically negated the need for our attack and utility birds to prepare for helicopter to helicopter fights?

Side note. How much was the helicopter dogfight talked about? They made a freaking movie about the subject! How many of you guys remember the flick "Firebirds" starring Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones?

US Army heavy guns doing work...photo by Sgt. Brittany Johnson

U.S. Soldiers with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 114th Field Artillery Regiment hone gunnery skills as they conduct table XVIII near Dona Ana, New Mexico, April 28, 2018. The Table XVIII consists of the entire battalion working together to achieve qualification.

Welsh Guards undertake Mission Rehearsal Exercise....pic by Sgt Paul Randall RLC

Caption.

1st Battalion Welsh Guards onboard their Foxhound Protected Patrol Vehicles during a planning phase of a Mission Rehearsal Exercise in Wales.

The exercise is a final opportunity for the soldiers to practice their infantry skills before deployment to Afghanistan.

The Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology and provides unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. These patrol vehicles underwent final testing in the dusty and hot conditions of the Helmand desert before being deployed on operations.

Foxhound has been specifically designed and built in Britain to protect against the threats faced by troops in Afghanistan. However, this is an agile and versatile vehicle that will be a mainstay in the Army for years to come.

Being lighter and smaller than other protected vehicles such as Mastiff and Ridgeback, Foxhound brings a whole new capability to the Army and is ideal for soldiers operating in mentoring and partnering roles.

Foxhound has a top speed of 70 mph but can still protect against improvised explosive devices thanks to its v-shaped hull.

Thanks to IOWA61 for informing me of the formatting problem! Appreciate it bro!

Royal Marines Teach USMC on Viking All-Terrain Vehicle ... pic by PO(Phot) Dave Gallagher

Caption.

1st Battalion Welsh Guards onboard their Foxhound Protected Patrol Vehicles during a planning phase of a Mission Rehearsal Exercise in Wales.

The exercise is a final opportunity for the soldiers to practice their infantry skills before deployment to Afghanistan.

The Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology and provides unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. These patrol vehicles underwent final testing in the dusty and hot conditions of the Helmand desert before being deployed on operations.

Foxhound has been specifically designed and built in Britain to protect against the threats faced by troops in Afghanistan. However, this is an agile and versatile vehicle that will be a mainstay in the Army for years to come.

Being lighter and smaller than other protected vehicles such as Mastiff and Ridgeback, Foxhound brings a whole new capability to the Army and is ideal for soldiers operating in mentoring and partnering roles.

Foxhound has a top speed of 70 mph but can still protect against improvised explosive devices thanks to its v-shaped hull.

K Force TV - South Korea KF-X Stealth Fighter AESA Radar

Steel Rain...Enemy style. Do you really think we're ready?

What you see above is the BM-30 Smerch Heavy Rocket Artillery System. If you're of a certain age then you remember the action in Gulf War 1.

You remember the chest thumping when the arty boys were bragging about not taking out a single tank. Not a single resupply point.

No.

They're were bragging about taking out entire grid squares.

I ask you a simple question.

If we use the Marine Corps as an example and push forward the idea of Company Landing Teams then imagine using their exquisite mobility to fly 1000 miles behind enemy lines.

Imagine then gathering to conduct a raid on an enemy site of importance during the early stages of a landing.

Then imagine a foe equipped with heavy missiles like this locating that CLT with the use of either UAV or Recon or simply tracking the MV-22's while they inserted our forces.

Then imagine our guys being on the receiving end of "enemy" steel rain.

I ask again.

Do you think we're ready?

NOTE: This isn't a slam at the Company Landing Team concept. The same question can be asked of ANY FORMATION, from the Stryker Brigades, Armored Brigades, Airborne Forces.... to even our ideas about Forward Arming and Refueling Points. I only wish to spark a little real discussion about what we're talking about when we talk peer vs peer conflict.

2nd Cav Regiment gets more 30mm ICV-D Strykers...

Pics via 2nd Cav's Instagram Page.

Getting a bit tired of seeing these vehicles in shrink wrap. It's past time to take the wrap off, put them in the field and bang them around a bit.

The new car smell needs to get worn off with a quickness.

Russians are gonna build a EFV???

Thanks to S300V4 for the pics!

Two things.

1. I need a Russian reader to give me a DETAILED .... SLIDE FOR SLIDE translation of this thing.

2. This will be a fucking slap in the face. First the Chinese try it and for all accounts (well my opinion) get it half right and now the Russians are going for the full Monty? Slap in the face doesn't properly describe it.

All I can hope is for one thing.

I hope this is vaporware. If the Russians pull this off and we can't then that says more about us than I want to face.