Reece pod for the PC 9

[meridian]

As the "Air to Ground Gunnery" thread has been locked, thought I'd post a link to an Austrian built recce pod which can be hung off a lot of different types, and operates in a "plug 'n fly" fashion via wifi link to a controlling iPad device in the aircraft. (Granted, wifi link would have to be tested to ensure emissions didn't interfere with anything else on the aircraft. Would it be difficult to install a wiring link or use current wiring to link into the aircraft if wifi use was a problem?)

Anyways, for your perusal

http://www.airbornetechnologies.at/index.php/latest-news-release2/surveillance-out-of-the-box

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/singapore-scar-pod-leaves-mark-on-show-395817/

P.S. My bets on the "European country planning to test / order the pod later this year" is Slovenia.

P.P.S. Purchase of this pod by the Air Corps would not turn the PC-9 into one of these... I think anyway. Might be usable from a Cessna Caravan type also, if such an a/c was bought and deployed overseas. (More chance of them going overseas that the PC-9, although I am all for increasing the PC-9s capabilities, understanding that it's not a F-16, AMX or other.)

[ropebag]

its a nice option - plug and play, designed to add capability where there isn't any... it looks like a good bet. the only operational downside to the particular system is the lack of Laser Designation. it weighs 300 - 350lb, a weight of 440-450lb gets you a a full Sniper/Litening pod with the same reece capability but with targetting as well..

the big upsides of this pod are however twofold - firstly its not all 'warry' with a LD to get the crusties/shinners foaming, and secondly its SIGINT/COMMINT capability. quite what that deliveres in real life is perhaps not something they'll put on the website, but its an interesting idea. the moving map system might well provide a designation system for GPS guided weapons - but again, that would need looking at.

even if some of the designation and SIGINT stuff doesn't come off, a PC-9M on overwatch with one of these, two fuel tanks and a rocket pack is a massive, massive capability boost...

the wireless thing doesn't look like an issue to me - if you look at the companys history its pretty obvious they know what they are doing.

[Turkey]

The Air to ground thread was locked by accident, it is now unlocked, however I think this should be run as a separate subject as this is an idea that might give the Air Corps something to do other then being a flying club for the privileged....

Ropebag, I have no problem with shinners and crusties foaming, it would give justification for shooting them as rabies sufferers...

[DeV]

You only need a laser designater if you have something to designate for

[Turkey]

You only need a laser designater if you have something to designate for

Not necessary, it can be used as a pointer for non laser sensor fitter assets like ground troops ....

[ropebag]

Not necessary, it can be used as a pointer for non laser sensor fitter assets like ground troops ....

absolutely - having a laser designator along with the uplinlink/downlink capability means the air and ground can talk to each other while looking at the same imaging feed. the ability to point to stuff and have the other team saying 'no, not that ditch, the one about 30m to its north, the one with the big tree...' is utterly invaluable. having a pod that can not just use its own laser, but can seen other peoples and therefore allow the crew to use, for example, a ground based LLDR to designate targets for non-laser-guided weapons, is an excellent trick.

i'm still of the veiw that a slack handful of the LG CRV-7 70mm rockets would be a significant tool in the armoury for not much political or financial outlay...

[GoneToTheCanner]

perhaps it would be more useful to have heli-portable pods, that are more likely to be deployed that PC-9 kit? Even if you don't own the helis, you can always have them on hand and fit them to other people's pylons. Given that the DF used other helis abroad, this is not such a stretch.

[Rhodes]

perhaps it would be more useful to have heli-portable pods, that are more likely to be deployed that PC-9 kit? Even if you don't own the helis, you can always have them on hand and fit them to other people's pylons. Given that the DF used other helis abroad, this is not such a stretch.

The 139's already have a FLIR camera that can be fitted and removed when needed.

[ropebag]

perhaps it would be more useful to have heli-portable pods, that are more likely to be deployed that PC-9 kit? Even if you don't own the helis, you can always have them on hand and fit them to other people's pylons. Given that the DF used other helis abroad, this is not such a stretch.

the Austrian pod should fit on a heli - its only 350lb's maximum weight, its NATO lugged - thats the beauty of this kind of system, its deliberately designed to whipped off a PC-9M, nailed onto a CASA-235, then swapped over onto a heli...

do the 139's have a NATO lugged and plumbed hardpoint? if not, fitting one might get a bit expensive and defeat the whole 'cheap and easy' thrust of this kind of capability upgrade. i see exactly what you're saying about the likely usage of the 139's vs the PC-9M's, but i'd be wary of anything that allowed the AC to move away from the battlefield mobility role for the 139's for fear that they would grab such an opportunity to disengage as much as possible from the dirty, unglamourous world of shifting stuff to something a bit more tasty and comfortable.

[GoneToTheCanner]

That's where possession of "warry" aircraft like the Blackhawk come in; permanent hard points so ordnance can be added or removed as you please. It should be as easy as plug and play to change pods or weapons, on a credible combat aircraft. Even the departed Gazelles had the ability to carry weapons.

[meridian]

Thanks to all for the replies, sorry that I couldn't reply earlier.

@ropebag - Sniper/Litening would be the ideal type of pod for surveillance and targeting, but for an aircraft the size of a PC-9, I think there might be a bit too much integration work required. The Super Tucano / ALX uses the Star SAFIRE targeting turret which includes a laser designator in some (all?) models, but again, I think it would require integration work, rather being plug n play link the SCAR pod.

Laser designation and marked target seeking of other air or ground marked targets would be a big leap in training and operational ability for the Defence Forces as a whole. Although a lot of modern systems have training modes etc, a real life "this is what happens when I press the button" experience, is a great thing to have, and gives air and ground crews a better idea of each others abilities. (Appreciating that a PC-9 or helicopter is not doing 450+ knots.) No weapons need be dropped or fired, so it could be used in a lot of non-aerial weapons drop locations used by the DF for training.

Finally, although the SCAR pod seems to be hangable from a helicopter, I think if the AC were to deploy a surveillance / armed ability, going for the 135 (or 635) with the South African SAWS kit would be the way to go. (Bit of a Walter minute there... down with that sort of thing)