Discussion : UAVs And UCAVs taking over majority of tasks of Attack Helicopters | World Defense

Discussion : UAVs And UCAVs taking over majority of tasks of Attack Helicopters

TomCat

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The world is advancing, Militaries seem to adapt to changes quite late for obvious reasons, Mainly familiarity and Already established plans and strategies with existing systems in place as well as experience of decades unlike new technologies being untested to operational extents.

UCAVs are just underestimated by militaries I believe, They have a high potential to replace the whole “Attacl Heli” thing if enough R&D is applied to it.

Think of it, Attack Helis are used for Multi purposes but with main goal of engaging hostile targets.

Engage how? Different ways, Like Recon pods input, IRST, Data Link input, EW, Basic Gun.

Since all these are low altitude engagements and methods, UCAVs can play a very better role.

The main advantage here compared to Attack helis would be Stealth Or immunity from ground anti air systems as UCAVs are quite slimmer and smaller as compared to helis and they have an open body with spaces, While helis are a whole single body unit.

In place of one Attack heli, You can field 3-4 UAV+UCAV combination or maybe a single Heavy UCAV.

The former having a combination of
  • Recon UAVS with camera and IRST systems,
  • UCAVs equipped with ATGMs, Anti Artillery Missiles and Anti Air defence missiles,
  • And if needed for CAS or An op to support ground troops against mobile hostiles, A possible UCAV with gun.
  • All these inter connected with a mobile Data link
The latter being a uniquely designed Sort of heavy UCAV With options to modify it by end user as per mission requirements, Like installing a Pod, Gun, ATGMs or not, Possibly EW pod.

Pakistan Army should look into this solution, While definitely go for some helis as well for the short term since the need for Attack helis would not finish for us especially at High altitude areas of LOC where UCAVs would be too weak to function and transmit data.

In the long term, MALE UAVs have the best shot at replacing the necessity of Attack Helis. Altitude problems lie with the UAVs but since these ops don’t require SUCH high altitude and that In order to remain immune from AD Systems, Helis ascend to high altitudes, UCAVs being quite unrecognizable and Low profile, Can do the same work at a low altitude, So a Good Bargain.
There is also the cost factor, In this modern warfare, Singularity is often considered a defeated Notion,
  1. Be it variety (Single type/Origin Jet/Heli/Tank), As when the enemy understands the vulnerability, It understands that this vulnerability is for the whole fleet, So Whole fleet is vulnerable in combat, That is why keeping a variety is a good Practice, Sourcing spares, related Workforce Would be easier as origins are different and unique.
  2. Limits the scope and features, A whole fleet of Attack helis with single origin, vs an enemy who has multi origin crafts, Some having advantages over the whole fleet, This in turn proves as a bad news for the whole fleet of single origin as they lack so and so capability.
  3. The more you broaden the base of op, The better you are immune to a single wave of attack, In this UCAV+UAV case, Every UAV has an operational room, It is usually mobile and transportable. A UAV gets downed, You still have other UCAV/UAVs flying, Cost and loss is quite lower, Capability loss is also half of half as Compared to a single multirole attack heli getting downed, Taking with itself the Recon roles, Attack roles, EW roles in hell, So Broaden your options and active players in the field, Spread Out, Enemy will have psychological disadvantage and AD systems would have a hard time to pin point at the UAVs which have low RCS and higher probability of miss.
So, Fielding more and more UAVs (Lower op cost as compared to UCAVs and Then Attack helis), UCAVs in place of 2 Attack helis prove to be better in theory. Acquisition and development cost is another advantage.

@AliYusuf @Khafee @Mangus Ortus Novem @Signalian @HRK @ali razza @Berke2 @Scorpion @Lieutenant @Blacklight @Falcon29 @maxpane

I expect a good discussion from you all in this regards, Let us stick to the key points and those are 3,

UAVs, UCAVs, Attack Helis
 

Berke2

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I don't know much about these kinds of things bro, so I can't really provide you good discussion.
 

Khafee

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I don't know much about these kinds of things bro, so I can't really provide you good discussion.
Sometimes just common sense can do wonders. On online forums, you must have seen some so called professionals are dumb as hell, and some senior posters actually senile, so no issues. Feel free to explore new waters here.
 

TomCat

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Sometimes just common sense can do wonders. On online forums, you must have seen some so called professionals are dumb as hell, and some senior posters actually senile, so no issues. Feel free to explore new waters here.
Yes,
That is the beauty of these forums bro. Once a person understands the basics, deriving things isn’t hard or unthinkable. I am an amateur example. There are many on other forum far better than me.
 

TomCat

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Sometimes just common sense can do wonders. On online forums, you must have seen some so called professionals are dumb as hell, and some senior posters actually senile, so no issues. Feel free to explore new waters here.
Plus, many of the times, many of These “Professionals” fail to Deliver subject posts, Not because of restricting their words but because their nature of work is quite different than what most people discuss here i.e Sciences of these weapons.
 
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