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Originally Posted by 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.
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Ah, Ed Macy, yes...I do believe I've read that one, IIRC he details the rescue of L/Cpl Fords body from Jugroom fort? It's the multi-tasking that makes me a bit concerned, I have no doubt that the Longbow radar can paint a good target, but in an environment with the potential for collateral damage surely it's better to get the good old Mark 1 eyeball on the target just to be sure the area is clear before you drop a Hellfire on it?
I suppose though, you could probably loiter at maximum distance and use the optics, the Apache is pretty damn quiet at long ranges and the optics are very good.