osprey escort

[phrogdriver]

Maybe I'm missing something, but wouldn't an ideal Osprey escort be able to land on our small deck carriers that could move around with the Ospreys? If not on the same ship, at least one in the same group. Wouldn't that escort be the Harrier? Or possibly a F/A-18 from a big carrier or from land based Marines? I don't see any of these prop based airplanes being a better option than what we have now..

The issue is that while the V-22 is much faster than a helo, it still isn't as fast as a jet. Also, since jets are also thirsty beasts, they may have the range for a mission with the V-22s, but not the endurance. This throws them into detached escort.

Honestly though, if the threat is so high we desperately need attached escort, it's probably high enough that a prop plane isn't that survivable. Being that the V-22 is also a prop plane in that regime, maybe there needs to be some more SEAD done up front.

 

[flaps]

old guy asks,
"what's SEAD?"

 

[MasterBates]

Supression
Enemy
Air
Defenses

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[NightVisionPen]

The issue is that while the V-22 is much faster than a helo, it still isn't as fast as a jet. Also, since jets are also thirsty beasts, they may have the range for a mission with the V-22s, but not the endurance. This throws them into detached escort.

Honestly though, if the threat is so high we desperately need attached escort, it's probably high enough that a prop plane isn't that survivable. Being that the V-22 is also a prop plane in that regime, maybe there needs to be some more SEAD done up front.

That's my point. NSAWC teaches escort missions for helicopters all the time during SOF Escort or for CSAR missions. These are with 60s off the boat. The trick is that you must have multiple waves of fighter escort. An attached escort is akin to having P-51s in formation with your B-17s and 29s. Rather silly in this day and age in my opinion. A detached escort is much more capable. The jets are more capable, their range to eliminate threats ahead of your route is more capable. You just need more than one wave of fighter/attack support to cover the entire VUL.

 

[phrogdriver]

That's my point. NSAWC teaches escort missions for helicopters all the time during SOF Escort or for CSAR missions. These are with 60s off the boat. The trick is that you must have multiple waves of fighter escort. An attached escort is akin to having P-51s in formation with your B-17s and 29s. Rather silly in this day and age in my opinion. A detached escort is much more capable. The jets are more capable, their range to eliminate threats ahead of your route is more capable. You just need more than one wave of fighter/attack support to cover the entire VUL.

Fixed-wing escorting helos is borderline silly, anyway, unless there's an air threat. A jet isn't going to see SMARMs or probably even MANPADS in time to do anything useful. And he can't suppress as well as an attack helo, either.

The same concept is still relevant to the V-22, though it is far less susceptible to both of those than a helo would be. The helo is still going to be in the same grid square when the second MANPADS shot comes or in range of that gun.

What the V-22 needs is somebody to ensure that the radars and other cuing is dead before it gets there.

 

[NightVisionPen]

Right, jets to clear out the area ahead of the V-22 and loiter overhead while in the objective area. Don't all V-22s have the giant gun in front like on The A-Team?

I think we are saying the same thing, just in different ways.

 

[flaps]

what about EW support (sanitizing a corrodor or two)? i seem to remember in the '80's the army and grumman messed around with a poor man's alq-99 system in a chopper. not sure where that went.
(EV-22 ?)

 

[phrogdriver]

Slinging trons is s a good idea if you can get it done. I presume, though don't know, that the Growler can still do the chaff corridor thing, too.

Don't think the EV-22 is on anyone's list though!