Naval helicopters

[vanir]

One item on my wishlist is simply combat mission selection for naval whirly birds.

 

The fire director/recon version of the Helix-B/Hormone-B is crucial for tactical functionality of the Russian surface action units. Armed SeaHawks capable of mission functional fleet recon seem a missing element too.

 

When mission building in the Caucasus for major Russian naval units I put up a Ka27 transport and pretend it's a Kamov scout/fire-director but it's not functional in DCS.

We need a recon mission selectable for the Ka27 which makes it functional for Shipwreck/Sandbox guidance over the horizon without a Russian AWACS necessary. NATO units will always have AWACS present during mission deployment so it's less an issue for them. Russia only needs to put up AWACS when operating over enemy air like Georgia, generally rubbing shoulders directly with core Russian military means combat in their territory so EW/GCI network information sharing replaces the role of AWACS with regional box coverage as opposed to signal direction/reception (defeating simpler low-RCS measures and giving more accurate target tracking in the same way networked radio telescopes function as one giant telescope capable of seeing across the universe), they don't need AWACS over home territory but do need over the horizon targeting for their Shipwrecks and an electronic view of the combat environment extending to the range of the naval armaments without an AWACS present.

 

Since it is a wishlist I'll also say it'll be super fun for the Kuznetsov to have the teeth to perform its primary fleet role with functional Helix and Hormone variants.

All based on the Ka27:

Ka29RLD is an all-weather Russian early warning variant of the Ka27 that absorbed the role of Ka25T fleet recon/fire-director whilst increasing its capabilities with advancements in electronics technologies and sensor fit. Stripped of combat armouring reinforcement and lightened to carry extensive electronics suite, 2 were on the Kuznetsov during the 90s to provide both electronic early warning and long range missile guidance to the fleet.

Ka27PL 3 crew ASW version with chin radome, dipping sonar and deployed in pairs armed with a depth charge magazine, one torpedo each or Kh35 antishipping missiles. Can also be stripped of armaments and used as a transport with 1-2 crew and up to 16 passengers on folding seats or cargo. Kuznetsov held more than a dozen at half capacity.

Ka27PS search and rescue variant is essentially a modified Ka27PL with winches, rescue equipment and auxiliary fuel tankage. Obviously can also operate as a longer range transport.

Ka29TB marine support version of the Ka27 with stub wings and additional cabin/engine armouring. 4 barrel 7.62mm gatling on starboard pintle mount, stub wings with four stores hardpoints mounting 23mm gun pods, 57mm or 80mm rocket pods, AT6 Shturm clusters or 500 litre auxiliary fuel tanks. Carries up to 16 marine assault troops. Can also be stripped of armaments and used as a field ambulance with 4 stretchers and 6 seated casualties. Also carried by Kuznetsov in the 90s.

 

Also naturally would like the SH60 similarly updated for mission build functionality to broaden the role of individual naval units, giving more teeth to the NATO cruisers and destroyers at long range from carrier support, especially considering classical soviet doctrine being sudden massed attack from rearward positions, CAP can't help and a Hornet antishipping strike takes time.

You could have diesel subs and fast corvettes attacking in waves with SH60 helping defence until carrier aircraft can show up, just an abstraction. At the moment I just can't do anything with an SH60 except pretend, or a Ka27 and they're integral combat support to the naval units they're based on.

:D