US CAS AIRCRAFT - SIX OF THE BEST

[fatman17]

From AFM-Jan-09.

SIX OF THE BEST BY ROBERT F. DORR, one of the most authoritative US writers.

NO 6: AV-88 NIGHT ATTACK HARRIER II, AV-8B RADAR HARRIER II PLUS.

Claim to Fame:
All Harrier II variants dont need fixed airfields with hardened runways, which can limit frontline flexibility and are vulnerable to attack. Not a true "Jump Jet" despite the popular term, the Harrier needs a little space to taxi and is properly called STOVL (Short-Takeoff, Vertical Landing) aircraft.

Why
The AV-8B's gun is a 25mm GAU-12U equaliser six-barrel cannon with 300 PGU-25/U rounds, 4 Mark-83 1,000 Ib (450kg) general-purpose bombs. despite weaknesses, the Harrier II may be the only close support aircraft that offers something Marines love: a personal link between the ground combatant and the pilot.

Conflicts
War with Iraq in 1991 in which 3 squadrons, 60 a/c, and one six-a/c detachment. flew 3,380 sorties totalling 4,083 flight hours, while maintaining 90%-plus mission capable rate. However, Harrier II losses were significantly higher per capita than other land based a/c.

War in Afghanistan 2001: during the first 6 weeks of ops, Harrier IIs flew upto 4 sorties / day, eventually flying 1,000 missions employing AN/AAQ-28, Litening II targeting pods.

Operations Iraqi Freedom 2003: Harriers flew 2,000 sorties and 300 combat hours.

Weaknesses
The Harrier II has a "red hot center" making it a heat magnet for infrared missiles. there could be an argument that two generations of Harriers have killed more Marine pilots than enemy troops.

First Flight
November 9, 1978 (YAV-8B), November 5, 1981 (AV-8B day Harrier II), September 22, 1992 (AV-8B Radar Harrier II Plus)

 

[Super Falcon]

in my opinion harrier is a sitting duck in front of F15, F16, F18, SU27, SU30, MIG 21, J17, J10 and all other fighter jets because harrier dont have a speed to run away and dont have long range it dont have thrust vectorian

 

[circuitbaba]

Bhai it was the first AC to have thrust vector

 

[ahmeddsid]

lol Harriers brought in TVC! It became a fashion statement sort of!

 

[Super Falcon]

even it has but i dont see it can take on any of these fighter jet even two on one

 

[ahmeddsid]

why make it 2 to 1?? make it a zillion to 1. To be quite frank the Harrier is a quite capable aircraft.

 

[JK!]

in my opinion harrier is a sitting duck in front of F15, F16, F18, SU27, SU30, MIG 21, J17, J10 and all other fighter jets because harrier dont have a speed to run away and dont have long range it dont have thrust vectorian

Not really in Nato exercises Royal Navy Sea Harriers with Blue Vixen Radars were taking on and beating F15s.

 

[JK!]

Where are the other aircraft mentioned Fatman?

As I recall theres a good one on the Super Cobra

 

[fatman17]

Where are the other aircraft mentioned Fatman?

As I recall theres a good one on the Super Cobra

Hi JK - working on it!
How did u do in your exams?

 

[IceCold]

The only problem it had was that it was too complicated to operate and many crashes occured when VTOL was conducted, however during the falklands war(i Hope i have spelled it correct), British sea Harriers literally blew the Argentinian mirages in the sky.

 

[fatman17]

From AFM-Jan-09.

SIX OF THE BEST BY ROBERT F. DORR, one of the most authoritative US writers.

NO 5: F/A 18C HORNET

Claim to Fame:
The legacy Hornet, a term that distinguishes it from the very different F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has performed well on close air support duties with the US Marines and, to a lesser extent the US Navy. it was developed for dual-role status. in one celebrated incident, Navy Hornets shot down MiGs and assaulted ground targets on the same sortie.

Why
The Legacy Hornet carries one 20mm M-61A1 Vulcan cannon with 570 rounds and up to 7,800 Ibs (3,538kg) of external payload. this includes the J-series weapons: Joint-Stand-Off-Weapon (JSOW); Joint-Direct-Attack-Munitions (JDAM).

Conflicts
Operation Prairie Fire strikes on Libya (1986);
Operation Desert Storm - Iraq (1991);
Conflict in the Balkans (1990s);
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (2001 - current);
Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003 - current);

Some 174 US Hornets participated in 1991's Operation Desert Storm. Flew more than 5,000 sorties.

Weaknesses
Production of the F/A-18C ended in 1999 and parts and supplies are becoming scarer. in October 2008, the Navy issued a safety bulletin requiring inspections of all 636 F/A-18A-Ds. no legacy Hornet has fallen from the sky, felled by an age-related structural issue, but some fear that it could happen.

First Flight
November 18, 1978 (F/A-18A); September 3, 1986 (F/A-18C)

 

[satishkumarcsc]

Where is the Warthog and Thunderbolt II and also the A 4 Skyhawk......? The above mentioned are not dedicated CAS.

 

[fatman17]

Where is the Warthog and Thunderbolt II and also the A 4 Skyhawk......? The above mentioned are not dedicated CAS.

why dont you comment when the list is complete!

 

[fatman17]

From AFM-Jan-09.

SIX OF THE BEST BY ROBERT F. DORR, one of the most authoritative US writers.

NO 4: F-16C BLOCK 40/42 AND BLOCK 50/52 FIGHTING FALCON (F-16C+)

Claim to Fame:
Not designed for close support and not initially used for the mission, the F-16 has emerged in a surprising role as the strafing king of current US conflicts. the F-16C, together with other platforms capable of deploying J-series satellite guided bombs has also proved that close air support can finally be delivered without being close.

F-16C+ was an informal designation used for Iraq-related tasking documents, ca 2005. it highlighted mainly - Advanced Targeting Pod - Litening or Sniper - and SADL capability. the C-plus designation is no longer used because all combat F-16Cs now have these capabilities.

Why
The F-16C brings into the fight everything from a 20mm M61A1 Vulcan "Gatling" cannon with 570 rounds, to a vast array of ordanance items - up to 15,200Ibs (33,510kg) on a typical mission.
LANTRIN navigational and targeting pod to AN/AAQ-28 Litening II and AN/AAQ-31 Sniper XR targeting pods.
Current US inventory of 1,245 includes 599 early block a/c (that are not a factor in close air support); 396 block 40/42 and 250 block 50/52.

Conflicts
Operation Desert Storm - Iraq (1991)
Conflict in the Balkans (1990s)
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (2001 - current)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003 - current)

Weaknesses
While the sheer numbers of F-16s constitute a strength, the absence of more F-16s could be an Achillies Heel. USAF and ANG Leaders, looking at costs of fifth generation F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightening II fighters, have quietly raised a possibility that they might consider new production orders for some variants of the F-15 and F-16.

First Flight
January 21, 1974 (YF-16); August 7, 1978 (F-16A block 10); June 15, 1984 (F-16C block 25); June 12, 1986 (F-16C block 32); December 23, 1988 (F-16C block 40); October 22, 1991 (F-16C block 50); October 22, 1992 (F-16C block 52)

 

[fatman17]

From AFM-Jan-09.

SIX OF THE BEST BY ROBERT F. DORR, one of the most authoritative US writers.

NO 3: AH-64D APACHE

Claim to Fame:
After Apaches performed well in Operation Desert Storm 1991, logistics issues prevented them from reaching the fight in the 1990s Balkans campaign.
The AH-64D initially took high casualties in the 2003 Iraq invasion because the US operated Apaches in large numbers without net-centric communication between air and ground.

Why
Properly employed, the Apache demonstrates better than any other the effectiveness of US doctrine, which calls for fighting at night whenever possible. the Apaches weapons includes AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and 30mm M230 Chain Gun cannon with 1,200 rounds.

Conflicts
Operation Desert Storm - Iraq (1991);
Conflict in the Balkans (1990s)(AH-64A);
Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003 - current).

Weaknesses
The AH-64 traditionally suffered low reliability rates, making it the most maintenance-intensive of the CAS a/c. the AH-64D needs a major cockpit upgrade to keep pace with US Army's VUIT-2 system (video from unmanned a/c systems). was being tested in Iraq in late 2008. all AH-64Ds are being upgraded to block III configuration as of late 2008.

First Flight
September 30, 1975 (YAH-64A), April 15, 1992 (AH-64D)