I'm sure you remember the raid on Bin Laden. I had the sudden revalation that the "Secret Stealth Blackhawk" resembled the Comanche in many ways. That also led to the idea that on the raid into Pakistan everything was there except for gunships. No Little Birds. No Apaches. No Super Cobras. As a matter of fact the only aircraft that accompanied the raid according to sources was were a pair of CH-47's that stayed on the other side of the border. I mean seriously if there was ever a need for the Direct Action Penetrator version of the Blackhawk then this would have been that mission.
Unless.
Unless there was another airplane along that provided that type of support. Just mud balling but would the 160th have a transport helicopter without some type of armed gunship? Keep in mind that gunship would have to share the same stealth characteristics as the stealth transport or it wouldn't make sense.
A quick Google search didn't reveal much but there is no answer on what happened to the RAH-66 prototypes. Wikipedia is unclear as to whether or not 5 or 16 examples were built before the program was cancelled but is it possible that the RAH-66 or a modified Apache is the missing aircraft in this scenario?
We got news that Panetta fully supports 11 aircraft carriers. Good news for the Navy but which part? More speculation on my part but watching videos this weekend, I was amazed at one that showed an F/A-18 being waved off because crewmen were on the landing area of the airplane as it was on approach.
I don't know if they're building that kind of flexibility into UAVs operating off aircraft carriers but if they aren't then you're looking at one of the most dangerous work places in the world becoming even more dangerous. Add to it the fact that I have yet to read how they plan on integrating UAVs onto the decks of aircraft carriers (plenty of info on how they'll be utilized...plenty on how they could even be controlled by strike fighters and such but nothing on how they'll fit in the mix on the deck of a carrier0, and it has me once again wondering if the possibility of an all UAV carrier might be in the cards. It would make ultimate sense in my mind because you would be able to establish unique handling drills for those airplanes. Unique operating procedures for mishaps etc.
Naval air might be in for a shock. In the end a carrier or two might end up under the control of the Surface Navy. Consider it a re-imagined arsenal ship.
