Do amphibious assault ships like the Tarawa use helicopters as plane guards?

[Fisherman82]

Like the title says, do amphibious assault ships like the Tarawa use helicopters as plane guards during flight operations involving Harriers for example?

Or do they use boats? I have never seen a image of a helicopter hovering along side a LHA or LHD like they do alongside normal carriers.

My only source of info is Google and I cant find anything there so perhaps some one who has more insight than that into naval aviation knows.

[F1GHTS-ON]

UK used helo's as plane guards (Wessex) up to the end of cat & traps (Ark Royal 1978). I am unaware of the RN using plane guards (helos) for any of their Harrier Carriers from 1980 onwards. I will offer a guess that this UK decision is driven by statistics of Risk versus Reward. i.e. why put additional risk into conducting flying in a helo (+ adding hours onto airframe) when the probability of a crash is significantly reduced?

 

As to USN AV-8 ops - again, without stats to hand, I suspect that despite the high crash statistic that comes with the AV-8 in service, operating around the boat is relatively safe ( or rather involves fewer accidents than the conventional CV ops) and thus generating an additional helo airframe ("line" on flying programme) is considered un neccesacary? (plus what helo airframe - unless carrying a detachment of USN -60Rs or whatever, winch fitted, diver/aircrew trained, you will be limited to USMC helos (or MV-22s) which are not trained or capable(?))

 

Modern warships today have very capable seaboats (RHIB types) which can be launched much quicker than the traditional seaboats of ships of the 60's & 70's - this was the UK RN's preferred solution and proved more than adequate for recovering aircrew who "chose"(?) to opt to swim rather than land on the deck. Again, I would offer a guess that this method is the prefered option for US LHAs etc.

 

 

[kengou]

Based on reading about USMC Desert Storm operations, amphibious carriers definitely did use helicopters to rescue downed pilots around the boat if necessary, just like full carriers do. There was a harrowing story about a sandstorm boat recovery, and I recall (memory is a bit fuzzy) they didn't want to launch helos because the sand was so terrible, but they were prepared to risk it if a Harrier went down during recovery ops. So I imagine they are ready to go when needed, but maybe not on constant guard like the big carriers since Harriers land in a more controlled way.

[F1GHTS-ON]

and I'm sure one of DCS's USN types can provide the UNCLASS answer, but the days of the plane guard helo actually hovering alongside the ship have long since gone, the "designated" Plane Guard helo is now required to remain within a certain distance (time or distance??) from the ship during recovery/launch cycles, but this can be up to 10(?? no reference for this figure?) miles and this able to conduct it's only training etc but be able to react if required.....

[Mars Exulte]

Way I see it, a carrier has 70+ planes operating at a high tempo, whereas something like the Tarawa only has about 6 Harriers as a rule, maybe a dozen if they are trying to operate as a ''light carrier''. Even if Harriers have a high ''accident rate'' there's literally 1/10th as many of them. Likelihood of needing rescue often enough to justify a helicopter twiddling its thumbs is much lower.

[Jackjack171]

On 12/2/2020 at 4:43 AM, Fisherman82 said:

Like the title says, do amphibious assault ships like the Tarawa use helicopters as plane guards during flight operations involving Harriers for example?

Or do they use boats? I have never seen a image of a helicopter hovering along side a LHA or LHD like they do alongside normal carriers.

My only source of info is Google and I cant find anything there so perhaps some one who has more insight than that into naval aviation knows.

The CH-46 Seaknight was used when I was onboard until the MH-60S showed up. There is always a SAR DET on LHA/LHD type ships at sea.

[Fisherman82]

19 hours ago, Jackjack171 said:

The CH-46 Seaknight was used when I was onboard until the MH-60S showed up. There is always a SAR DET on LHA/LHD type ships at sea.

Yes, but where they hovering alongside or where they on the flightdeck ready to go if someone ended up in the water during Harrier takeoffs and landings?

[Jackjack171]

1 hour ago, Fisherman82 said:

Yes, but where they hovering alongside or where they on the flightdeck ready to go if someone ended up in the water during Harrier takeoffs and landings?

Yes, they where airborne. Helicopters are always airborne first and land last. They are not always just hovering. I remember it being a circular pattern called Starboard Delta or "D" for short.