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From: sheppard@caen.engin.umich.edu (Ken  Sheppardson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Air-to-Air Helicopter Combat
Message-ID: <3278@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 20 Jan 89 05:02:32 GMT
References: <2880@cbnews.ATT.COM> <3037@cbnews.ATT.COM> <3117@cbnews.ATT.COM> <3204@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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Organization: U of M Engineering, Ann Arbor, Mich.
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In article <3204@cbnews.ATT.COM>, nak@cbnews.ATT.COM (Neil A. Kirby) writes:
> 
> The standard load for years on the outermost pylons of the Apache is a
> pair of Sidewinders.   

  No it's not.
 
  The Apache carries up to 16 Hellfires mounted on pylons in groups of
  four, or up to 4 2.75 in rocket pods, besides its permanently mounted 
  head-tracked chain gun.

  There's been alot of talk about equiping the Apache with *Stingers*, but
  I don't believe that's ever been attempted to date.  

  Some (most?) LHX concepts have a Stinger at the end of each pylon in a 
  config similar to the way Sidewinders are mounted on the tips of the 
  wings of the F-16 ( along with four Hellfires on each pylon ) and have
  avionics similar to air superiority fighters in many respects.
  
  The airframe of the Apache is strong enough to support the load from some
  pretty drastic maneuvers.  I believe the Apache is the only Helicopter 
  to ever do a loop. Although in  one of the first few attepts the rotor sagged 
  enough to scrape the canopy.

  The Apaches air-to-air combat capability has been demonstrated to the Army 
  ( against an AV-8B ) and they were quite impressed.  Apache/Apache Air-to-air 
  ( and I can only assume -- Apache/LHX and Apache/Hind ) is now quite common.  
  ( Just do a hammerhead, Stop at the center of their turn, look at 'em, lead a 
  little, and pull the trigger )

  NOTE : As a co-op at MDHC, I was never told just what I could talk about and
         what I couldn't, so I guess I should say that these opinions are not
         only not those of my former employer, but they may not even be my own.

                                             - Ken Sheppardson
                                               University of Michigan
                                               Aerospace Engine Deptartment