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No doubt helicopters became very vulnerable. A significant portion of recon and strike duties can be handled by UAV, but not all. A mix of ground systems with long range or loitering munitions and various UAV and other fixed wing aircraft can certainly work well enough, but when you have uneven and difficult geography and bodies of water to cross, helicopters are still necessary, so if you can't have enough tanks and ifv etc, you still need attack, transport and multi purpose helicopters. Although, FARA sits in a weird spot in this mix, a light and fast aircraft meant to go deep and alone, that is certainly asking for stinger trouble. So this makes sense. But I doubt they'll give up apache, blackhawk, chinooks and the new tilt rotor transport.US Army cancels the FARA program aimed to replace Kiowas.
Army Cancels High-Speed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Program
The Army's decision to cancel the Future Attack Recon Aircraft program is part of a larger shakeup in its future aviation plans.www.twz.com
"We are learning from the battlefield – especially in Ukraine – that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed," Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George said in a statement accompanying the announcement. "Sensors and weapons mounted on a variety of unmanned systems and in space are more ubiquitous, further reaching, and more inexpensive than ever before. I am confident the Army can deliver for the Joint Force, both in the priority theater and around the globe, by accelerating innovation, procurement and fielding of modern unmanned aircraft systems, including the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System, Launched Effects, and commercial small unmanned aircraft systems."
"What Gen. George's comments don't mention is that the war in Ukraine has also strongly called into question the general surivability of conventional helicopters on future high-end battlefields. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have suffered significant helicopter losses in the course of the fighting and have adopted tactics that are focused squarely on keeping those platforms as far away from potential threats as possible."
Army already had plenty of drone projects for future as well, and also with drone-helicopter teaming. But yes, they probably mostly think that the time of scout helicopter is over when there's a proliferation of SHORADs over the world. Remember droves of Russian Mis being shot down while flying low in the first months of the war. Lessons to be learned.No doubt helicopters became very vulnerable. A significant portion of recon and strike duties can be handled by UAV, but not all. A mix of ground systems with long range or loitering munitions and various UAV and other fixed wing aircraft can certainly work well enough, but when you have uneven and difficult geography and bodies of water to cross, helicopters are still necessary, so if you can't have enough tanks and ifv etc, you still need attack, transport and multi purpose helicopters. Although, FARA sits in a weird spot in this mix, a light and fast aircraft meant to go deep and alone, that is certainly asking for stinger trouble. So this makes sense. But I doubt they'll give up apache, blackhawk, chinooks and the new tilt rotor transport.
And Bell is robbed of their double win. No way Raider X would win after Defiant fiasco in FLRAA. We can say that compound helicopters are sent away for this decade.Bad news for Sikorksy though. They now lost both FLRAA and FARA.
And Bell is robbed of their double win. No way Raider X would win after Defiant fiasco in FLRAA. We can say that compound helicopters are sent away for this decade.