21st century CAS role in a world with deadly backpack drones....

[sublight_]

The assumption that late-war Afghanistan is the only scenario for which US forces need to be equipped strikes me as very dangerous. Probably this is a debate more suited to the Bar, however.

The Army, Marines, and SOF have bought a fair share of Switchblades already. The end result will be a lot less calls for CAS. This will lead to an eventual recalibration of the CAS role. I'm not of the mind that CAS is obsolete, but it is definitely not cost effective to use expensive maintenance intensive assets against every dug-in insurgent engagement.

 

[Avimimus]

Any thoughts about the size of the transmitters being used? Could the switchblade be locally jammed or the transmissions from the controller be used to target the controller back (e.g. a guided mortar round at the position of the transmitter)? A man standing <10 km away is an easier target for counter-fire than an aircraft going several hundred km/h.

There might still be a role for a bomb truck with wind-corrected munitions.

 

[JFC Fuller]

The Army, Marines, and SOF have bought a fair share of Switchblades already. The end result will be a lot less calls for CAS. This will lead to an eventual recalibration of the CAS role. I'm not of the mind that CAS is obsolete, but it is definitely not cost effective to use expensive maintenance intensive assets against every dug-in insurgent engagement.

Do you work for Aerovironment? Switchblade is interesting and has a niche role but its small payload and the need to carry it and its control system around severely limit its use. CAS is going nowhere and it is not going to be "re-calibrated" by switchblade.

 

[bobbymike]

The Army, Marines, and SOF have bought a fair share of Switchblades already. The end result will be a lot less calls for CAS. This will lead to an eventual recalibration of the CAS role. I'm not of the mind that CAS is obsolete, but it is definitely not cost effective to use expensive maintenance intensive assets against every dug-in insurgent engagement.

Do you work for Aerovironment? Switchblade is interesting and has a niche role but its small payload and the need to carry it and its control system around severely limit its use. CAS is going nowhere and it is not going to be "re-calibrated" by switchblade.

Agree 100% - compare a switchblade with an AC-130 Spectre or even a B-1 with hours of loiter time and a massive payload.

 

[sublight_]

The Army, Marines, and SOF have bought a fair share of Switchblades already. The end result will be a lot less calls for CAS. This will lead to an eventual recalibration of the CAS role. I'm not of the mind that CAS is obsolete, but it is definitely not cost effective to use expensive maintenance intensive assets against every dug-in insurgent engagement.

Do you work for Aerovironment? Switchblade is interesting and has a niche role but its small payload and the need to carry it and its control system around severely limit its use. CAS is going nowhere and it is not going to be "re-calibrated" by switchblade.

Agree 100% - compare a switchblade with an AC-130 Spectre or even a B-1 with hours of loiter time and a massive payload.

Against two insurgents, high on opiates methamphetamines, with a couple rifles, squatting on a cliff? That is embarrassing. If we are going to be there for another 10+ years on pest patrol, cold war era fixed wing assets are not cost effective against most insurgent engagements.

 

[bobbymike]

Against two insurgents, high on opiates, with a couple rifles, squatting on a cliff? That is embarrassing. If we are going to be there for another 10+ years on pest patrol, cold war era fixed wing assets are not cost effective against most insurgent engagements.

It is completely disingenuous to claim that is the nature of combat in Afghanistan. Actions frequently involve dozens of fighters if not more. Wanat, for instance, was assaulted by 200-500 Taliban fighters, Kamdesh saw 300 Taliban fighters assaulting a position and the British faced human wave assaults when they first entered Helmand. Switchblade is a useful supplement to mortars, ATGMS and artillery for infantry fire support but it is not a CAS replacement.

Beat me to the punch Mr. Fuller. Why use an example where 'your idea' just happens to fit the example? Tendentious much?

If I would have responded with 'Oh sure you want Switchblades to take on 500 Taliban?' I would have been just as disingenuous as your response.

You are talking about CAS roles and truthfully I don't see a single scenario where a switchblade could replace CAS AND that can be the only logical solution BECAUSE when you need CAS you are in a bad spot more closely described by JFC Fuller then your 'Two people on meth' example.

 

[Avimimus]

What about support vehicles equipped with reusable observation drones and a mixture of 1) high velocity unguided cannon rounds 2) high velocity guided cannon rounds 3) barrel or tube launched lower velocity 'demolition' missiles/drones?

Indefinite loiter, immediate response times, and durable to anything short of an enemy launched anti-tank drone! With artillery pushing ranges of over 50 km & short range automatic mortars... competition is getting stiff for anything which is providing close support to ground forces. Of course, medium-far support and interdiction will always favour fixed wing attacks.