Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: dnwiebe@cis.ohio-state.edu (Dan N Wiebe)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Why no Hellfire on fixed-wing attack aircraft?
Message-ID: <1991Feb4.064043.20651@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 4 Feb 91 06:40:43 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 19
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: dnwiebe@cis.ohio-state.edu (Dan N Wiebe)


	Given that LGBs are dropped from fixed-wing aircraft, how come
the A-10, for example, isn't fitted with a laser designator and cleared
to launch Hellfire instead of Maverick?  Wouldn't it be cheaper?  Is there
something about Hellfire that optimizes it for use exclusively with
rotary-wing aircraft?  I can understand why it would be difficult to
put TOWs on a fixed-wing plane (plane moves too fast--the TOW would
spend too much fuel trying to stay on a straight line between launcher
and target and not enough actually getting to the target), but Hellfires
don't work that way.
	Just curious...

Shalom,
Dan Wiebe
dnw@rsch.oclc.org