Even simple unarmed $300 drones with an IR camera are proving to be extremely effective. The level of live battlefield information and situational awareness they are bringing to commanders on the ground is at least equivalent to what a platoon of recon troops can offer.
Next up are the drones capable of carrying light loads like air dropped grenades or explosives than can take our expensive vehicles like aircraft. The return on investment for these systems are insane.
The US Army literally just cancelled its FARA Helicopter program because of drones.
““We are learning from the battlefield – especially Ukraine – that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed,” Army Chief of Staff General Randy George said in a press release.”
Because we don’t need multiple versions of helicopters to do the same thing. Most of our recent Apache use is against people using AKs and RPGs then running into caves - ironically enough, probably the same level as its main use-case in 1975.
But attack helis just seem so fragile. They’re relatively easy targets and don’t add all that much extra. Transport heli’s are way more useful. Hell, even in civilization games heli’s are weak.
Drones are becoming a huge game changer.
Even simple unarmed $300 drones with an IR camera are proving to be extremely effective. The level of live battlefield information and situational awareness they are bringing to commanders on the ground is at least equivalent to what a platoon of recon troops can offer.
Next up are the drones capable of carrying light loads like air dropped grenades or explosives than can take our expensive vehicles like aircraft. The return on investment for these systems are insane.
The US Army literally just cancelled its FARA Helicopter program because of drones.
““We are learning from the battlefield – especially Ukraine – that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed,” Army Chief of Staff General Randy George said in a press release.”
The US does not like attack helis or something. The Comanche was a cool looking heli that was cancelled back in the day.
To this day we’re still operating Apaches, a design first built in 1975.
Because we don’t need multiple versions of helicopters to do the same thing. Most of our recent Apache use is against people using AKs and RPGs then running into caves - ironically enough, probably the same level as its main use-case in 1975.
But attack helis just seem so fragile. They’re relatively easy targets and don’t add all that much extra. Transport heli’s are way more useful. Hell, even in civilization games heli’s are weak.
Well, 8 movement points ignoring terrain allow for a lot of pillaging…
Should send the money saved to Ukraine, money better spent on them in the end, it saved them from spending more money on that instead.