major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) (01/23/89)
In article <3117@cbnews.ATT.COM>, hp-sdd!mitchm@ucsd.edu (Mitch Mitchel) writes: > > In article <3037@cbnews.ATT.COM>, ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Duhh Major ) writes: > > > > 'Jumped by MiGs' even an Army Cobra pilot or Aerial Scout pilot is going > > to get the hell out of there as fast as they can. And call frantically > > for - guess what? - Air Support! > > > > Maybe not for long. Last Spring I talked to an Army Air National Guard > Colonel who said that the Army ANG is working out plans to equip their > Cobras and Apaches with air-to-air missiles and to > train the ANG helo pilots in some form of air-combat-maneuvering. So > probably in the next shoot 'em up, there will be some MiG kills done by > Cobra or Apache pilots. Now that's going to be some interesting > video footage! I'm not sure that's correct usage for the gunships - it may make the pilots feel better that they have SOMETHING to defend themselves with. Perhaps equipping Army gunships with air-to-air missiles could be to engage Soviet Attack Helicoptors (Hinds and Hips). I know that the Cobra pilots I used to work with in Germany said that if they ever spotted a Hind - they would have to turn and try to engage - because they couldn't outrun it. Those of us in unarmed Scout Helos would just land and walk home :-). major