Commanche alternatives?

R. David Steele wrote:
The CH-47F is a rather extensive remanufacturing program that's
going on right now. The Army expects it to let these aircraft
serve into the 2020s.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ch-47f-ich.htm

And everyone else is going to the V-22 platform instead?

Nope, you don't have the plot at all here.

The V-22 is not in the same lift class as the CH-47 or CH-53E. It's
a medium-lift platform, not a heavy.

The only buyers on V-22 are the Marines (replacing CH-46s) and Air
Force Special Operations Command (replacing MH-53s, which are
smaller twin-engine versions of the H-53, not the bigger
three-engine CH-53E version the Marines fly).

Right now there is no final plan to replace any of the heavy lift
helos in any of the services.

Sorry to play so dumb. But I am doing a lot of catch up. I did
read that the ASW platform, MH-53E Sea Dragon, was to be replaced
by the CH-60.

The MH-53E is for mine countermeasures (and fleet logistics), not ASW. It
may be replaced by the MH-60S, which used to be called the CH-60S. But they
are being less definite about this plan than they were a couple of years
ago, so I suspect the Sea Dragon may hold on for a while yet. There si
pretty good evidence the smaller helo simply can't do all of the MH-53's
missions (especially on the logistics side)


What gets me confused is that we have the SH-60R which are
rebuilt older H-60s. Now is the MH-60 going to be the primary
helo or is it the CH-60? I gather that the AF uses the
nomenclature is MH-60. The CH-60 is Navy.

The Navy is using M for multimission, but there are two different Navy
MH-60s. These will operate together, in different roles. Neither is
"primary."

MH-60R is the "old" SH-60R, replacing both the SH-60B and SH-60F for ASW,
ASUW, and various other missions. These will now be new builds, as this was
actually cheaper over theor total lifetime than rebuilds.

MH-60S is the "old" CH-60S. This is a new aircraft for VERTREP, SAR, SOF
support, and possibly airborne MCM. It replaces Navy H-46s, HH-60s, and
maybe MH-53s.

The way the services go about this is mind numbing!!!

Yes, sometimes. The Navy MH-60 designations are less than helpful, IMO.
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