US Army cancels contract for the Comanche

[Scoobie Newbie]

Not sure where this goes so feel free to move it to where it belongs. Anyway I heard today on MNBC Bullseye that the army will pay Boeing 2 billion to cancel the contract.

 

[Korus]

wow...

Here‘s an article (from CNN) is anyone is interested;

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/23/helicopter.cancel.ap/index.html

 

[Spartan]

wow indeed -39 bills later, and they decide to cancel it.
I also hear that the Ospey and F22 Raptor are soon to be on the cutting blocks...

 

[Pikache]

Wrong forum yes.

Off to foreign military forum.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Thank you.

 

[nULL]

interestingly, weren‘t the russians developing a similar helicopter? a Ka-58 "Black Ghost"?

EDIT: n/m i don‘t think it was even put beyond the concept stage

 

[Korus]

Maybe this will shed some light on the Ka-58?

http://www.5chr.freeserve.co.uk/hkn074.htm
"2. Another big suprise from Russia is that Zvezda have launched a 1:72 kit of a Kamov Ka-58 ‘Black Ghost‘, #7232. Never heard of a Ka-58? Perhaps the answer comes in the small-print down the left side of the box, where you will find the words ‘syerya nyeizvyestnay Kamov‘, which roughly translates into ‘imaginary Kamov series‘."

http://www.aviation.ru/Ka/
"Ka-58 "Black Ghost" - just a toy.
Cool looking 1:72 plastic modelling kit by "Zvezda". Please note, all the features of the model were agreed by the Kamov OKB and Federal Security Service (as published by MK)."

 

[nULL]

hahaha, yeah, that‘s what i had figured upon further research.

 

[koalorka]

That decision is just Bullshit, why the **** would they cancel a program that was the most advanced and innovative helicopter design yet?
I think the whole new idea of replacing conventional mechanized divisions with light, airmobile Stryker battalions is fundamentally flawed. Iraq II clearly showed that heavy tracked equipment is far from obsolete. And they cancelled the Crusader which I thought was far more advanced than the german PzH-2000 - an extremely effective SPH the Germans are using to good effect.
This "Revolution" within the Army is suicidal for the US.
Major, what‘s your take, since you are an army aquisition officer?

 

[Infanteer]

why the **** would they cancel a program that was the most advanced and innovative helicopter design yet

Probably because they already own the most advanced and innovative design yet.

 

[koalorka]

And what would that be?

 

[xFusilier]

The cancellation of the Comanche probably had a lot to do with the fact that the original concept of the aircraft was to kill Soviet tanks on the plains of Western Europe. Since that requirment has become somewhat redundant, the aircraft became redundant as well.

 

[Infanteer]

And what would that be?

Pick One...

AH-64 Longbow

AH-1Z Super Cobra

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

MH-60G Pave Hawk

These are all relatively new airframes. Doe anything anywhere else come close to approaching the number and capabilites of these helicopters (That isn‘t a rusting piece of **** in an Eastern Bloc country)?

 

[Canadian Patriot]

The other thing for modern, minimalistic budjet militaries, is that something super advanced is not cost effective. As soon as you enter a new aircraft that is "2 steps forward in military helicopter technologies", other countries in the world need to come out with something closely related to it. As soon as those other countries come out with something somewhat like the commanche, EVERY other piece of equipment in the american army becomes obselete (not mentioning Canada here because most of our stuff is already obselete). So that $2 billion to cancel the commanche saved them trillions upon trillions of dollars in replacing every single other one of their weapons systems with new technologies that don‘t even exist yet (which takes even more money to develop them quicker).

 

[koalorka]

The AH-1 Cobra and Jet Ranger are aircraft that came into service in the late 1960‘s. And although they have been brought up to current standards through costly modernization programs, they are obsolete designs.

I‘ve got to admit the Apache is a wonderful weapons platform, especially the AH-64D variant with the Westinghouse milimetre-wave radar.
Check out this recent footage from Iraq. That 30 mm M230 chain cannon sure can pack some heat.

http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/default.asp?target=gunship_video.htm

 

[Infanteer]

Well, judging from reports coming from the sandbox, the AH-1 W and Z frames were more than capable in performing with the Apaches.

If it ain‘t broke....