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It has been Under development for some time now and fills a gap in the market with a dedicated a/c. Boeing signed an agreement just this year to develop an ISTAR package for the a/c so even better.
Given that it is an all-rounder we could also replace/supplement the PC9's with these aircraft as there is a wide range of variants.
Production numbers matter, full stop. You try buying a door handle or a seat rail for a limited production run aircraft like the 228 and they will eat you alive at the marketplace. You can get King Air parts/PT6 parts anywhere and hundreds of firms worldwide supply parts and services for them. King Air market penetration is much better than Dorniers anyday and the Don have previously rejected it as a Marpat aircraft. You'd also be introducing yet another engine type into the Don, which adds to the supply burden.
There are very few offerings out there now that from an Army Co Op point of view can not only do what the Cessnas do but do it better, bring it into the 21st century from an ISR point of view, be deployable overseas and cost effective to buy and operate.
This is a South African machine that ticks all the above boxes.
looks like some ingenious types updated (robbed) OV-10 Bronco idea and brought it into 21st century.
An army is power. Its entire purpose is to coerce others. This power can not be used carelessly or recklessly. This power can do great harm. We have seen more suffering than any man should ever see, and if there is going to be an end to it, it must be an end that justifies the cost.Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
This is very much a pre-production aircraft; no weapons trials that we know of, no proof of survivability against common African weapons like the AK 47 or Dshk, no gunsights or HUD...does it have self sealing fuel tanks or armoured tanks? The spec says cockpit armour is extra; what's that going to do for a war load? What level of datalink is envisaged? I'd suggest giving it a few more years for it to become a viable platform. To me, it looks like something that could easily be converted to a UAV and spend it's future as a mini-Predator.
Maritime patrol missions by the Casa's are down by 59 versus 2014 (1102.9hrs versus 1398.92hrs), but the Cessna's are listed as operating 71 (141.50hrs) in-shore patrols versus 0 in 2014.
This would seem to point at the replacement aircraft also being tasked with inshore patrol - and some issues with operating the Casa, be it crewing or aircraft related.
Any takers on how a PC-12 or TBM-900 is going to manage with low slow patrols in salty air?
problem with doing inshore work with one engine is that you better be damn close to shore if it starts to cough, or else have a friendly boat nearby. Now, I know that they are reliable old things but pretending to be a faux-Casa is a triumph of optimism over experience. Two of the Cessnas have come to watery ends......when they do flog them off, I wonder will they sell them off in Ireland or will it be the usual, for export only?.
A certain defence corespondent said more helicopters on a post on facepuke, I'm inclined to agree with him. As for Cessans doing it, isn't that how we lost 2, over water incidents, both in sight of land, one off Gormo', one in the Shannon estuary.???
"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
A certain defence corespondent said more helicopters on a post on facepuke, I'm inclined to agree with him. As for Cessans doing it, isn't that how we lost 2, over water incidents, both in sight of land, one off Gormo', one in the Shannon estuary.???
Would they be the same as current hardware or something new?
Would they be the same as current hardware or something new?
If it were my decision the tender requirements would just read HH-60 Seahawk..
"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
A certain defence corespondent said more helicopters on a post on facepuke, I'm inclined to agree with him. As for Cessans doing it, isn't that how we lost 2, over water incidents, both in sight of land, one off Gormo', one in the Shannon estuary.???
So would I but it makes it more expensive. Way to go would be maybe 1 more EC135 and 1 more AW139 and give them all the same capabilities (FLIR, hoist, etc).
So would I but it makes it more expensive. Way to go would be maybe 1 more EC135 and 1 more AW139 and give them all the same capabilities (FLIR, hoist, etc).
So twin engines?
'Has to be twin engines....
"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
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