Commanche alternatives?

R. David Steele wrote:
The money will go into the AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook
helicopter and UH-60 Black Hawk. What is interesting is that the
Navy and AF are basically using variants of the Black Hawk (Navy
CH-60 and SH-60R, AF MH-60). Like the JSF, we have become a one
aircraft military.

Makes sense, really. Why reinvent dynamic systems for all these different
roles that happen to be in the same basic weight class?

Looks like it just makes it easier to merge
the AF into the Navy someday.

You're not serious, are you?


The Navy is looking to end the CH-46 while the Army is still
funding the CH-47. We will need to have a replacement for the
46/47 as we really do not have a heavy helo without them.

CH-46 is not a heavy-lift helo and is only slightly related to the -47.
(they came from the same company, and are both twin rotor designs. That's
about it.)

The CH-46's replacement in Marine Corps troop lift roles is pretty clear:
the V-22. If that is cancelled, the next-best alternative is probably an
S-92 or "US-101." The CH-46's replacement in the Navy is also clear: the
MH-60S (formerly CH-60S). This is already operational and by most accounts
it works rather well for the VERTREP job.

The Navy/Marine counterpart to the CH-47 is actually the CH-53, which I
believe is getting a SLEP to run another couple of decades. So is the CH-47.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...aft/ch-53x.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ch-47f-ich.htm

Long term replacement plans are pretty hazy, as one might expect for a
program (or programs) that won't deliver hardware for at least a decade, if
not two.


--
Tom Schoene Replace "invalid" with "net" to e-mail
"If brave men and women never died, there would be nothing
special about bravery." -- Andy Rooney (attributed)

Thomas Schoene wrote:

R. David Steele wrote:

snip

The Navy is looking to end the CH-46 while the Army is still
funding the CH-47. We will need to have a replacement for the
46/47 as we really do not have a heavy helo without them.

CH-46 is not a heavy-lift helo and is only slightly related to the -47.
(they came from the same company, and are both twin rotor designs. That's
about it.)

The CH-46's replacement in Marine Corps troop lift roles is pretty clear:
the V-22. If that is cancelled, the next-best alternative is probably an
S-92 or "US-101." The CH-46's replacement in the Navy is also clear: the
MH-60S (formerly CH-60S).

Nitpick. The Navy has the UH/HH-46, Tom. Sure, they're the same basic
airframe. And am I the only one who feels that R. David Steele is battling
Henry J. Cobb for the (current) title of Most Annoyingly Clueless?

Guy

Guy,

And am I the only one who feels that R. David Steele is battling Henry J.
Cobb for the (current) title of Most Annoyingly Clueless?

You are not alone.

--
Mike Kanze

"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics
won't take an interest in you."

- Pericles (430 B.C.)


"Guy Alcala" wrote in message
. ..
Thomas Schoene wrote:

R. David Steele wrote:

snip

The Navy is looking to end the CH-46 while the Army is still
funding the CH-47. We will need to have a replacement for the
46/47 as we really do not have a heavy helo without them.

CH-46 is not a heavy-lift helo and is only slightly related to the -47.
(they came from the same company, and are both twin rotor designs.
That's
about it.)

The CH-46's replacement in Marine Corps troop lift roles is pretty
clear:
the V-22. If that is cancelled, the next-best alternative is probably
an
S-92 or "US-101." The CH-46's replacement in the Navy is also clear:
the
MH-60S (formerly CH-60S).

Nitpick. The Navy has the UH/HH-46, Tom. Sure, they're the same basic
airframe. And am I the only one who feels that R. David Steele is
battling
Henry J. Cobb for the (current) title of Most Annoyingly Clueless?

Guy

Guy Alcala wrote:
Thomas Schoene wrote:
The CH-46's replacement in the Navy
is also clear: the MH-60S (formerly CH-60S).

Nitpick. The Navy has the UH/HH-46, Tom. Sure, they're the same
basic airframe.

I shouldn't like to argue, but a lot of Navy webpages, including sites like
HC-8 homepage, say the Navy flies CH-46Ds.

http://www.navy.mil/homepages/hc8/

Comparatively few mention the UH-46 designation. OTOH, there are a lot of
mentions these days that simply say H-46; I think they gave up trying to
keep the different designations straight.

--
Tom Schoene Replace "invalid" with "net" to e-mail
"If brave men and women never died, there would be nothing
special about bravery." -- Andy Rooney (attributed)

Thomas Schoene wrote:

Guy Alcala wrote:
Thomas Schoene wrote:
The CH-46's replacement in the Navy
is also clear: the MH-60S (formerly CH-60S).

Nitpick. The Navy has the UH/HH-46, Tom. Sure, they're the same
basic airframe.

I shouldn't like to argue, but a lot of Navy webpages, including sites like
HC-8 homepage, say the Navy flies CH-46Ds.

http://www.navy.mil/homepages/hc8/

So they do.

Comparatively few mention the UH-46 designation. OTOH, there are a lot of
mentions these days that simply say H-46; I think they gave up trying to
keep the different designations straight.

You may be right;-)

Guy