Which is the best for supporting ground troops?

Question

AC-130 gunship, Apache Longbow, F-22 raptor, Kiowa warrior, Blackhawk, Thunderbolt 2, or Osprey?
Which is the best for supporting ground troops in urban environment?
Jungle environment?
Desert environment?
Mountains?

Answer 1

Everyone is kind of dancing all over the subject here.



The reason there are different platforms is that they have different missions. First of all you can eliminate the UH-60 and VS-22. Those airframes primarily deliver troops and cargo. The door gunners on the UH-60 and the forward firing guns/door gunner on the VS-22 are meant to suppress enemy fire on an LZ.



I have personally seen the KW do a much better job in the direct support role in an urban environment. It's smaller airframe and rotor diameter allowed it to get much lower and thus stay hidden easier than the AH-64. We used it to call for and adjust indirect fires also.



Now in the outer ring of an urban environment, the AH-64 was better. For instance if a Commander knew that a reinforcing element would be coming from outside an urban area into a fight, the AH-64 could easily destroy them as they came into the AO.



In an environment that has a very low level of enemy AD, the AC-130 is hard to beat. The ability to fire 40mm and 105mm within 100 meters of friendlies (due to their ability to actually SEE the friendly forces) is great. Observed AC-130 fire on one building (a barracks) with 105mm and leave another structure 75 meters away almost untouched.



In mountainous or desert terrain, the A-10's ability to carry so much ordnance makes, coupled with its armor makes it the best option.



The F-22 is an air superiority fighter. If we have to use it to conduct CAS then, we are in trouble.

Answer 2

In an urban environment the Kiowa would be the best for its so agile and easy to maneuver in tight spots. In the Jungle it would either be the Apache or the AC-130. (An inferior model to the AC-130 was used in Vietnam, one of the roughest jungle terrains ever.)In the desert it would be the Thunderbolt. And in the mountains I would have to give it to the Thunderbolt or Raptor. The problem with the Blackhawk is it wasn't made as an attack helicopter its main duty is to bring in the troops. As for the osprey I'm not to sure.

Answer 3

The AH-64 Apache Longbow would ultimately be capable of filling the role for EVERY environment or theatre that you list, is designed for it with incredibly advanced weaponry, avionics and targeting systems.



"Always outnumbered, never out gunned", says it all really!! The no.1 choice for what you suggest ultimately.



The AC-130 Spectre (or "Spookies") would do equally as well, with the exception of an urban environment, where it's fire power would be complete overkill or carry an increased risk of collateral damage. For sheer "Crowd Pleasing" however, use the Spooky!!



P.S. The aircraft used in Vietnam prior to the C-130 for the Airborne Artillery role, was the WW2 era Dakota C-47 Skytrain.

Answer 4

Those are all different systems with different roles. And you fail to specify what the OPFOR is like. Am I fighting insurgents? A Soviet-model motorized Rifle regiment? a Mongol horde?



It's like asking which is the better tool, a hammer or a screwdriver. They have different capabilities and are employed in different roles.

Answer 5

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