Because you're doing it at sea level.
If you get yourself shot down you've done no good, and probably resulted in mission failure.
Because you're doing it at sea level.
If you get yourself shot down you've done no good, and probably resulted in mission failure.
As far as the "all SEALs want 160th" comment I read, again, I would counter: SEALs want dedicated air assets. They see the 160th and ask why the Navy doesn't have the same thing. Vanilla SEALs would be happy with consistent support, both at home and abroad. The only guys who enjoy regular support from 160th are Tier 1 folks.
There's a lot more mountains than MANPADS in those mountains. HIRSS is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Somewhere there's an engineer who surely could've designed a method to reduce exhaust heat sig without robbing power - we just didn't specify that requirement in the contract.
This organic idea is already in play. Under the current model, though, you train together at home first. We aren't to the point yet where they just find a random HSC det on a USNS and roll.
I think that's the difficult part, getting them comfortable with just showing up to the random ship/place/etc and going from there. I know of a few cases where it has happened but it's been so isolated that I wouldn't call it a trend by any means as of yet.
There is a solution. The up-turned exhaust. I have some pictures of a UH-60M with them at Ft.Rucker.
There's a lot more mountains than MANPADS in those mountains. HIRSS is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Somewhere there's an engineer who surely could've designed a method to reduce exhaust heat sig without robbing power - we just didn't specify that requirement in the contract.
I think that's the difficult part, getting them comfortable with just showing up to the random ship/place/etc and going from there. I know of a few cases where it has happened but it's been so isolated that I wouldn't call it a trend by any means as of yet.
Serious question and not trying to poke at you, but can't they remove the HIRSS? I thought I saw a couple of Sierras in Haiti that weren't wearing them.
Serious question and not trying to poke at you, but can't they remove the HIRSS? I thought I saw a couple of Sierras in Haiti that weren't wearing them.
Not something that can be discussed on an open forum, but the up turn exhaust has some very serious issues that make it worse than HIRSS. Its the ALQ-144 of exhaust suppression...
No poke taken - I've asked the question myself. I may ask again - but I'm guessing there's some serious anal spectrometry from NAVAIR involved with it.
I've also asked about moving the engine cowling latch back up front - it totally messes up my whole preflight gymnastic performance - particularly the dismount.
Won't argue with that at all.Somewhere there's an engineer who surely could've designed a method to reduce exhaust heat sig without robbing power - we just didn't specify that requirement in the contract.