US Navy: Seapower for a new era 2006

This might be of intrest to people

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/pol ... pne06.html

 

Yes, very much!

I'm amazed that they are still using upgraded versions of the UH-1 Heuy and the Cobra gunship! The basic designs are now ~40 years old, and surely there are better options around now (Blackhawk & Apache, for example).

 

And more expensive to operate.

 

Do you mean that the old ones are more expensive, or the new ones? :-?

 

The new ones are more expensive, and AFAIK HueyCobra can carry weapons that Apache can't - Maverick for one. I don't think AH-64 has been cleared for AGM-65 carriage and launch (IIRC that only AH-1 and Kiwi Seasprites are the only helicopters that carry Mavs). Plus Apache isn't navalised...

 

I remember reading an article on the UH60 which put its operating costs at just over $1,000/operating hour while the UH1 was IIRC around $350/operating hour.