Thanks Ron, The AH-64 is an live and evolving system, the improvements I mention
are for new units, and some exist only in study as the landing gear, the tail
rotor, and the Full FlyByWire, on the tail rotor, I think that exist better
solutions than the fenestron or the Piascecki ducted fan or the Notar, But is
classified material, you know that in some circumstances a research team for a
system don't have access to the work of other teams, unless the system being
developed have common elements, the commanche's radar is more compact and has
less radar section, and have many common parts with the AH-64 longbow, the
improvements to the rotor system are for new units and for a limited number of
old units, I don't know its current stage, but surely prior 2010 will not enter
in service, as the "New" AH-64X.

|I am one of the few people alive that
| have survived a crash in a LONGBOW. I can say if I had been in any other
| aircraft, I would be dead.
God bless you, and America.

I'm not a pilot, I'm a systems engineer, we put the ideas, the crews the courage
and the blood.
--

Goku Rules ....

"Ron Carns" escribió en el mensaje
nk.net...
| With the Comanche being cancelled, money has been freed to fund improvements
| to the existing airframe. Much of what you mentioned is part of the
| DRIVETRAIN 2000 upgrade. Rumor has it, that TADS/PNVS should be fielded
| with lot 8 starting late this year. And the "new" LONGBOW RADAR that you
| mentioned that will be taken from Comanche....was/is the same RADAR taken
| from LONGBOW AH-64D to the RH-66 Comanche. The Program Manager (PM) may
| have contracted for improvements, but it is the same RADAR. We already have
| a "fly by wire" capability used in emergencies called E-BUCS. As for the
| tailrotor improvements...I can't speak to those points. I don't belive
| there is any plan for retractable gear, if there is, then that is a mistake
| or a trade on crew survivability. |
| CW4 Ron Carns
|
|