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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0718.PDF
FLIGHT, 13 March 1959 355 HELICOPTERS IN BATTLE Their Role in a Modern Army WHAT types of helicopter does a modern army need, andhow many? What disadvantages may be encountered inusing them? On what basis can a standardization of types be achieved? These were some of the questions considered byLt-CoL P. W. Mead, R.A., General Staff Officer in charge of the War Office branch which controls the Army Air Corps, in hislecture to the Helicopter Association of Great Britain last Friday (March 6) under the title The Place of the Helicopter in theModern Army. As a background to the army's needs, Col. Mead first empha-sized the necessity for modern armies to take to the air, and stressed that the advent of nuclear warfare made essential thefullest use of air space. He then listed the attributes of the heli- copter which were most likely to appeal to an army—its VTOLcharacteristics, its ability to hover, its all-weather performance and its load-carrying capacity (particularly when in future war-fare conditions the existence of both roads and airfields "must be considered problematical"). He stressed, however, that it wasthese attributes, not the helicopters themselves, which were important; and that if new types of machines were designed toachieve the same purpose, armies would not necessarily remain faithful to helicopters. Indeed, he indicated that the helicopterof today had a number of disadvantages as an army vehicle, the elimination of which offered scope for the ingenuity of futuredesigners. Outlining the purposes for which an army might need heli-copters, CoL Mead said there were three main ones: (a) the movement of individuals, (b) the movement of formed bodiesof men and (c) the movement of stores. These purposes he further sub-divided, the movement of individuals being either for recon-naissance or liaison duties. He considered that reconnaissance of the forward portion of enemy-held territory could usually be car-ried out by light fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. The helicopter was not necessarily better than the fixed-wing aircraft in thisrole but the flexibility of operation afforded by its take-off and landing performance would make it more popular. In additionto tactical reconnaissance, various other types could usefully be done by helicopters—artillery spotting, guidance for tank forma-tions, surveying duties for the engineering and signalling arms. Airborne traffic control would be of great assistance in conditionsof nuclear warfare, and commanders might need a form of air- borne command post (which would require a larger aircraft thanthe two-seater needed for reconnaissance). The liaison role needed, at its simplest, "a sort of flying motorcycle" such as anon-specialist could control; but when formation commanders required to take one or more staff officers with them a largervehicle—some form of fairly light helicopter—would provide the answer. In another aspect of the liaison role, that of casualtyevacuation, helicopters able to carry stretcher cases would be needed. In all, Col. Meade estimated that the movement of indi-viduals in these roles required variously (a) a small one-seater device with VTOL performance, (b) a two-seater helicopter or(c) a larger (five- or six-seater) helicopter. These aircraft were meant to be based in the forward areas and therefore needed to beas small as possible and easy to conceal. Movement of formed bodies of men required a tactical troop-carrying helicopter able to perform a variety of roles such as (i) the transport of reconnaissance parties, (ii) seizure of key points,(iii) quick concentration of troops, (iv) assault, (y) reinforcement, (vi) mopping-up or (vii) the stopping of gaps in defence. Forsuch purposes, an aircraft should not be too large or unwieldy (though able to carry a troop load of about ten men), should haveVTOL performance, must be simple to fly, able to operate under all local conditions and capable of adaptation to casualty evacua-tion, Ir addition, such a utility helicopter needed to be light enough to be quickly man-handled into cover by five or six menand small enough to be concealed there. "It is apparent," said Col. Mead, "that the perfect utility helicopter has yet to bedesigned." In the stores-carrying role, three types of helicopter appearedto be needed. One should have a payload of about three tons for the transport of supplies from base to formation areas.Secondly, a smaller machine like the "utility" helicopter, which as an alternative to its unit of ten fighting men would be able tocarry over a ton of stores or a light vehicle. Finally, a "weight "fter" seemed necessary, with a payload of abc it six tons, for "Flight" photograph A Sounders-Roe Skeeter of the Army Air Corps practising the technique of alighting in a confined space duties like moving heavy pieces of bridging or obstructions orunloading ships. All these three types should be able to operate at low level by night and in bad visibility and under all climaticconditions. Thus, the army would in total require six different types ofhelicopter; and it would be an advantage if they all used the same fuel—preferably the same as that used by the army's groundvehicles. Lt-Col. Mead then stressed the disadvantages of the helicopter—its noise; its size in proportion to its payload; its confinement to comparatively slow speeds; its thirst for fuel (thirsty machinesbeing "unpopular" in the forward areas); and its expensiveness. On the last point he commented: "In peace-time this must havethe most severe effect on the number of types of military heli- copters developed and on the quantities purchased. For thisreason alone it seems probable that fixed-wing aircraft will long be retained, side by side with helicopters, in many of the rolesfor which the latter are more suited." Finally, considering the six types from the financial angle,Lt-Col. Mead said it seemed unlikely that the single-seater would appear in helicopter form in many armies and there would prob-ably be considerable pressure to reduce by standardization the five remaining types. Thus the utility, slightly increased in size,would have to do duty as a light-cargo carrier in addition to its other roles and a single helicopter might be found to combineliaison and utility or liaison and reconnaissance tasks. Of all roles, reconnaissance was the most vital, and no standardization shouldbe allowed to prejudice it. If certain optimum military requirements had been stated inthe lecture, and some of the disadvantages considered which the helicopter designer had to try to overcome, there was no under-estimating the magnitude of the latter's task. It would no doubt be some years before present military requirements were satisfiedand by then there would be further requirements. "It would be bold to ridicule the possibility, for example, that anti-tank heli-copters might be in demand in a few years' time, or even anti- helicopter helicopters," said Lt-Col. Mead. The helicopter designercould comfort himself by the thought that most of the helicopter's military shortcomings applied with even greater force to otheraircraft with VTOL performance. Since it was those latter qualities which were militarily most vital, it would seem that helicopterswere likely to hold a key position for some time to come. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Mar. 13. British Gliding Association Ball, London. Mar. 13. Radar and Electronics Association (Student Section): "Radar Data Handling," by Dr. L. C. Payne. Mar. 16. Northampton College ot Advanced Technology (London): "The Hydraulic Analogy and Air Resistance," by Dr. Dimitri Riabouchinsky. Mar. IS. British Air Mail Society: Stompex Week Exhibition, Caxton Hall, Westminster. Mar. 18. Aircraft Recognition Society: Film Show. Mar. 18. Kronfeld Club: "Instrumentation and Cloud Flying," by David I nee. Mar. 19. R.Ae.S. Astronautics and Guided Flight Section: "Long Range Missiles," by E. C. Cornford. June 12-21. Paris Aero Shaw. Sept. 7-13. S.B.A.C. Display ami Exhibition, Farnborettgh. R_Ae.S. Branch Fixtures (to Mar. 20): Mar. 16, Derby, "The British Aircraft Industry," by E. C. Bowyer; Henitm, film show. Mar. 18, Christchurch, "Materials for Supersonic Aircraft," by G. Meikle; Coventry, "Servicing of Civil Aircraft," by I. J. Gregory. Mar. 19, Isle of Wight, "Trials and Tribulations of Airline Operation," by Capt. 1. H. M. Weir.
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