Welcome.
Spent four years around the Abrams as a line medic with the 1st Cav Division back in the lat 80s. We had the original M1s at that time, the 105mm rifled versions. We actually were one of the first units to field the M1, some still had M60s and were in the process of transitioning to the Abrams when I got there.
I could never keep up with the things in my M113. I would have to get the grid coordinates and then meet the company where they were setting up. I got pretty good at land nav around Fort Hood back then. It's hard to believe that most of this happened almost 30 years ago now. Those things were amazingly fast for the size of them.
I would love to get your impressions of Combat Helo when it comes out. Obviously it won't be a truly exact detailed version of the Apache, no 'simulation' ever truly is but I would love to get your opinions on it as someone that has flown the real thing. I've had buddies that have flown rotary wing in the past. One guy flew A models in the first Gulf War and another recently was an OH58a pilot.
What do you think of the Army phasing out the Kiowa. My bud thinks it is a mistake and will end up costing the Army more in maintenence and upkeep costs for Apaches since they will be taked to do much of what the Kiowa currently does.
I personally think its a mistake to get rid of the Kiowas as well. For anyone who has ever worked with Apaches they know how much of a nightmare (no pun intended) it is to keep them up maintenance wise. The thing is a 30 million dollar flying super computer and any number of things can ground them. The E model is even more tech heavy so it's going to cost way more to keep them flying than it would to keep a Kiowa flying. I can't count the number of times we have been stuck on the ground with a multitude of avionics guys pulling circuit breakers and pulling panels off trying to figure out whats wrong with the thing. Or a caution light pops on when we start taxiing out or while just casually flying around forcing us to land.
I'm trying to see the money saving logic behind phasing the Kiowas out but I just don't see it. They cost a lot less to produce, a lot less to maintain, a lot less to fly. It's not like the Army is really losing money keeping them around they don't break down too often. But then again I dont know the big picture so I'm guessing high brass and Congress see something that we don't.
