Please ad this chopper too as adon

[Friedric]

 

 

 

A129 International Multi-Role Combat Helicopter

 

 

The A129 International is a multi-role helicopter for armed reconnaissance and surveillance, high-value ground-target engagement, escort, fire support, and air-threat suppression. It is armed with new powerful air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, an off-axis cannon and an increased weapon payload.

 

 

 

 

info here

 

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/agusta/index.html#agusta1

[Friedric]

I love this chopper should be nice to present it as euro(nato) power

 

:joystick:

[TheMoose]

I think it all comes down too; what is available and what is classified. Personally I would like to see Bell AH-1Z, but this is highly unlikely. Well maybe when I’m 70 years old. But in that time we would be looking at holograms displays, lol. That would be nice.

 

 

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/aircraft/military/bellAH-1Z.cfm

[Mugatu]

Are any in Z models in service? Next to the Tiger (biased) it's my 2nd favorite chopper.

 

The brochure is a bit over the top though:

 

" Like no other attack helicopter in the world, the AH-1Z survives combat with an advanced countermeasure suite, which includes:

• AVR-2A Laser Warning Receiver
  
• APR-39A(v) 2 Radar Warning Receiver
  
• ALE-47 “Smart” Countermeasures Dispenser and
  
• AAR-47 Missile Warning Device."

:music_whistling:

 

I think it all comes down too; what is available and what is classified. Personally I would like to see Bell AH-1Z, but this is highly unlikely. Well maybe when I’m 70 years old. But in that time we would be looking at holograms displays, lol. That would be nice.

 

 

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/aircraft/military/bellAH-1Z.cfm

[TheMoose]

Are any in Z models in service?

 

 

Bell AH-1Z Super Cobra

 

Customers (Kunden)

 

The US Marine Corps plans to upgrade 180 of its currently remaining 199 AH-1W gunships to the new standard.

 

Turkey has selected the KingCobra version of the AH-1Z for its ATAK programme in August 2000. Negotiations centre on a first tranche of 50 helicopters, with a total requirement of 145 in the long term.

 

http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/FRAH-1Z.htm

 

Yes they seemed to be in service.

[Yellonet]

Is there a believable scenario where this helo would be a participant against or with the other aircraft? If not it should not be added.

[Mugatu]

Turkey did a back flip and bought the

 

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=69641

.

 

Bell AH-1Z Super Cobra

 

Customers (Kunden)

 

The US Marine Corps plans to upgrade 180 of its currently remaining 199 AH-1W gunships to the new standard.

 

Turkey has selected the KingCobra version of the AH-1Z for its ATAK programme in August 2000. Negotiations centre on a first tranche of 50 helicopters, with a total requirement of 145 in the long term.

 

http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/FRAH-1Z.htm

 

Yes they seemed to be in service.

[einsena]

i saw something interesting at discovery channel about AH-1Z, the prototype had a gamepad similar to PlayStation's pad that are supposedly used for the gunner's input device! it was said that it was there to facilitate future would be pilots!

[531-Ghost]

Are any in Z models in service? Next to the Tiger (biased) it's my 2nd favorite chopper.

 

The brochure is a bit over the top though:

 

" Like no other attack helicopter in the world, the AH-1Z survives combat with an advanced countermeasure suite, which includes:

• AVR-2A Laser Warning Receiver
  
• APR-39A(v) 2 Radar Warning Receiver
  
• ALE-47 “Smart” Countermeasures Dispenser and
  
• AAR-47 Missile Warning Device."

:music_whistling:

 

There are now, 6

[JaNk0]

Is it me or does that Euro Heli look like a mix of Apache and Super Cobra?

[bradmick]

I've always been curious why all these helicopters have air to air missiles as a big feature on them. Realistically, its just as dangerous for a jet to engage a helicopter as it is for a helicopter to engage a jet. The odds of an airforce of any significance as well not being able to hold air superiority for their choppers to operate are pretty slim as well. I mean, even the apache can mount stingers, but we all kind of chuckle about it.

 

Brad

[joey45]

just incase they see an enemy copter...

[bradmick]

that again goes back to the air superiority bit. I mean, yes, I did say that its just as dangerous for a jet to engage a helo and vice-versa...its a waste of a hardpoint better used against a ground vehicle. Even then, i'd imagine the gun would be more than sufficient against an enemy chopper. I suppose its better to be prepared and have the option, then caught flat footed.

 

Brad

[Avimimus]

I am trying to envision a situation in which they would be useful. Do you know if the air-to-air option was developed specifically for use in the European theater?

 

It is certainly of questionable use today but in the mid-1980s local air superiority could not be guaranteed and having the attack helicopters double as mobile short range air-defenses might make it more prickly for enemy strike aircraft. After all the West German army did issue orders telling infantry to use small arms against aircraft...

[bradmick]

Makes sense actually, I've forgotten my first rule of history, get into the mind set of the period. That sounds entirely reasonable. Giving the airframe an extra bit of teeth to defend itself in the event that air superiority isn't gaurenteed makes sense.

 

Brad

[GGTharos]

The way you describe it is probably not very reasonable - I really doubt AAM armed helis woudl do anything more than attack air targets of opportunity, for no other reasons than that they happened to cross in front of them - they would be far, far too busy trucking hellfires around to kill as much soviet armor, as fast as they possibly could, to stall the offensive to be screwing around as untrained airborne SHORAD. That's SHORAD's job.

 

But assuming that helicopters from both -sides- might meet (because both will be supporting their troops), it is not unreasonable that one might see AAM usage across the front under those circumstances.

 

In any case, IIRC the NATO forces at Fulda were basically ordered to DIP; just be a speed bump for the reinforcements that were 2 weeks or so away - F-15C's would move to the UK for that time, IIRC, to prevent losses due to airfields being overrun. Tanks would be fighting in reverse gear under the red onslaught, and the helis with'em.

 

So what you're looking at is an armored force and infantry trying to stall the invasion, covered by a heavy sam curtain, supported by their helis and local air superiority aircraft, such as German, Greek and Turkish F-4's and F-16's, not to mention french, spanish and italian aircraft. But the big player in air superiority - the force multiplier for NATO - was the F-15C.

 

So ... again - I don't think the helis would really have time to devote to even thinking about milling about as anything resembling a heliborne SAM site. They'd be too busy EVADING contact, as per their TRAINING to do such things, not to mention trying to bust up armor. A2A weapons for self defense yes, any notion of offensive capability in A2A - no.

 

I am trying to envision a situation in which they would be useful. Do you know if the air-to-air option was developed specifically for use in the European theater?

 

It is certainly of questionable use today but in the mid-1980s local air superiority could not be guaranteed and having the attack helicopters double as mobile short range air-defenses might make it more prickly for enemy strike aircraft. After all the West German army did issue orders telling infantry to use small arms against aircraft...