Imminent Fury/A-29 Pics

[Pugs]

Without doing a lot of stupid-study for myself, how survivable does anyone think they would/could be in a COIN role ??? Light Attack -- I LOVE it, and it's a 'nice concept', but the bird doesn't look like it would sustain a lot of 'hits' and keep on beating ... ???

As cool as the OV-10 was it had an exceptionally crappy survivability rate in ODS against AAA and MANPADS and it had one more engine than this (but it was neat to see them deck run on TR after the transit) . Hate to have to roll back the IADS even more for this to work. Now, if you suppose it would only be used at night with a standoff role then you've got something and it certainly has a role in the current threat environment and a few other places. The question is at what cost?

 

[EM1toNFO]

Ok... Ok... Ok... Ok...

I HAVE to ask... What % get the A-29?

:icon_tong

 

[scoolbubba]

might wanna delete that ASAP, unless you just wanted a break from AW.

 

[MasterBates]

Already asked.. Not pointy nosed, no chance paddles on this one.

Would like to fly one.. Hey, us Hummer clowns know what these "rudder" things are and what "torque" is.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Ok... Ok... Ok... Ok...

I HAVE to ask... What % get the A-29?

:icon_tong

Ok...Ok...Ok...Ok...

I HAVE to ban you.

:icon_tong

 

[Jim123]

^^^^ wonder if the juice was worth the squeeze?

 

[scoolbubba]

It almost never is.

 

[Flash]

Without doing a lot of stupid-study for myself, how survivable does anyone think they would/could be in a COIN role ??? Light Attack -- I LOVE it, and it's a 'nice concept', but the bird doesn't look like it would sustain a lot of 'hits' and keep on beating ... ???

As cool as the OV-10 was it had an exceptionally crappy survivability rate in ODS against AAA and MANPADS and it had one more engine than this (but it was neat to see them deck run on TR after the transit) . Hate to have to roll back the IADS even more for this to work. Now, if you suppose it would only be used at night with a standoff role then you've got something and it certainly has a role in the current threat environment and a few other places. The question is at what cost?

It has done well for itself in the light attack role for Colombia and should do just as well in the low-threat environment where it would now be used, just ask this guy. By employing it's sensors and precision weapons it can stand off at a decent distance and still strike targets very accurately, far enough away from threats to it currently in Afghanistan and Iraq, so that it won't have to worry about taking 'hits' too much at all. And it doesn't have to worry about AAA or MANPADS much in Afghanistan or Iraq nowadays anyways. With the exception of the A-10, which was built around a weapon that it had to get close with, it is not much different at all than the rest of our fighter/attack aircraft fleet nowadays.

Inexpensive is great until 'they' start piling on more and more mission requirements. Then 'inexpensive' becomes something else ... I seem to remember the Hummer started off life as a 'big JEEP' ..

This is for a very specific mission and has a very small budget and they are using what is basically off-the-shelf technology, so far so good. I don't think it will be anything more than a relatively small buy, it's main utility is in pretty low-threat anti-air environments and the military is not going to want to invest a lot of money in something like that at the cost of it's tacair fleet. That it is SOCOM specific requirement according to what I have read also ensures that while it will probably make it through the procurement process it likely won't get too big, they have a lot of money but it is not an infinite amount and they have plenty of other toys they want to buy.

 

[Jim123]

It has done well for itself in the light attack role for Colombia and should do just as well in the low-threat environment where it would now be used

IIRC the coca spraying Turbo Thrushes used in Colombia tend have occasionally been brought down by hostile fire. Granted, that mission involves a much riskier flight profile and those are paramilitary (not military) aircraft. There have been more than a few Kiowa helicopters brought down in Iraq too, long after that theater became considered a "permissive environment." It just goes to show that low threat =/= zero threat. the "golden BB" is still real, there is something to be said about air support that both the good guys and bad guys can actually hear and see, but angry locals can sometimes come up with a lot of BBs...

 

[Flash]

IIRC the coca spraying Turbo Thrushes used in Colombia tend have occasionally been brought down by hostile fire. Granted, that mission involves a much riskier flight profile and those are paramilitary (not military) aircraft. There have been more than a few Kiowa helicopters brought down in Iraq too, long after that theater became considered a "permissive environment." It just goes to show that low threat =/= zero threat. the "golden BB" is still real, there is something to be said about air support that both the good guys and bad guys can actually hear and see, but angry locals can sometimes come up with a lot of BBs...

The aircraft shot at in Colombia are not the Super Tucanos and they operate at a very low altitude on predictable flight paths, it is an invitation to get shot at and nothing like how the A-29's will operate in theater. While several helos were shot down by MANPADs and small arms fire in Iraq the threat is not what it once was and even then the A-29 could fly well above it, effective CAS doesn't have to come from 500 feet anymore.

 

[PhrogLoop]

Without doing a lot of stupid-study for myself, how survivable does anyone think they would/could be in a COIN role ???

I hope Super Tucano is more rugged than a T-6. When we started flying them at Vance AFB, we had a lot of blown tires and tail strikes from "firm" landings. That would get real annoying real quick in an austere/less than improved surface environment. All said, it's a great concept and I SINCERELY hope that the Irregular Warfare office has guys like BlkPny and his cronies on retainer for consulting duties.

 

[ryan1234]

Without doing a lot of stupid-study for myself, how survivable does anyone think they would/could be in a COIN role ???..

R-3350 vs. PT6 .........hmmm.... I'd prolly go with the Wright....

 

[HeyJoe]

Was that HeyJoe in the back seat pickin' his nose?

Hmm, hard to do with an oxygen mask on so, nope! Must be one of the guys who prefer boom mikes.

HJ was more than likely downrange making sure this thing could do what is advertised.

Guilty as charged....evidence below (Super T Mk81 unguided shack on tank in B-17 target set)

HJ Photo

Was in a few events in Fallon where these guys were also flying, without going too much into it they are exceptionally good at what they do and the aircraft itself is even more impressive up close and in person than pictures can put out.

That's what you get when you're allowed to pick your aircrews and most are O-5s with significant combat, NVD, CAS and SPECOPS support time under their belt (and there is one P-3 type so there's hope...if you're a backender)

Fury 1 at Fallon

HJ Photo

Alas, Imminent Fury Phase drew to a close on June 30 and the Super T was returned to it's owner sans IF mission kit*, which now awaits determination of Phase II platform (request to deploy 4 Super Ts was turned down by Congress despite request from theatre).

*So, right now, we have a box of cool stuff looking for a home....

 

[Pugs]

Alas, Imminent Fury Phase drew to a close on June 30 and the Super T was returned to it's owner sans IF mission kit*, which now awaits determination of Phase II platform (request to deploy 4 Super Ts was turned down by Congress despite request from theatre). .

Is the owner a company? Just curious if that is a temp buno on the fuselage.

 

[PerDiem]

Is the owner a company? Just curious if that is a temp buno on the fuselage.

The article says the buno is fake and is borrowed from a MH-53