[Stealhead]

I recon that the argument to retire the Kiowa is largely due to the advanced Longbow radar. It is highly capable to put it mildly. Of course your still forcing one airframe to perform two jobs which is not always ideal. Multi-role can be good at the same time sometimes you still want a weapon that is designed to do one thing very well.

I'm guessing that each Apache unit will have the Longbow Radome equipped birds serve as scouts. In fact Longbow can datalink with any other Apache allowing it to provide targeting data to any linked Apache and if a radar guided Hellfire is used one Longbow radome equipped Apache can send the data to one without the radome and have it fire its missile and the other Apache does the guidance. Allowing only one bird to expose itself to fire while the other only need expose its radome and with radar you don't need the laser. Though there are tricks with the laser as well that allow pop up attacks if the crew is skilled the missile only need lasing for launch and terminal phase. Meaning if you're good at mathematics you can only lase for 10 or 20% of the flight.

I think the planned ratio is one of every four has the complete Longbow package with radome. And now with the E models more powerful engines they don't have to remove the radomes in certain environments.

A book written by a British Apache pilot I'd strongly recommend is Apache: Inside the Cockpit of the Worlds Most Deadly Flying Machine. I've read it twice its that good and informative. It gives you an idea just what a Longbow Apache can do.

By the way you mentioned Spooky I'm guessing that may not have known that there where two other converted gunships used during Vietnam the AC-119 and the AC-123 there where also experiments run at Eglin AFB in FL using a modified B-57 Canberra which had a downwards firing Vulcan gun it was slewed into position for firing. The B-57 gunship never went past the testing stage partly because they had a better idea of converting it to carry the original Pave Way I and some FLIR equipment allowing it to night prowl without the need of cannon.