Flightglobal:Precision-guided rockets could be added to the weapons load-out of the US Air Force's Fairchild A-10 and the US Marine Corps' Boeing AV-8B Harrier II strike...Author: Stephen TrimbleDate: 13 January 2010Read the full article
Author: Stephen Trimble
Date: 13 January 2010
Read the full article
Using the guided rocket instead of HELLFIRE on attack aircraft is not exactly the best approach. The best approach is to load the aircraft with both the guided rocket and HELLFIRE based on the current intelligence estimate of the threat. For example, if the intelligence estimate for the theater of operation is that 30% of the targets will be heavy armor then approximately 30% of the missile load should be heavy missiles and the rest should be lightweight missiles. This will optimize the lethality. More munitions can be carried for a given weight constraint and more kills will be achieved at a lower cost (assuming the cost of the guided rocket was kept lower than the cost of HELLFIRE).
I did an unclassified study in 1991 that showed this to be true and briefed it to the people in Huntsville. It is not too surprising that the Army APKS never made it to production, given all the starts and stops and changes in priorities, along with uncertain budgets. It is miraculous when any system makes it to production.