Not so much really, still lots of successful FPV videos on Twitter. What it has shown is that helicopters trying to use direct LOS targeting have been hammered.
I think the reason FARA was cancelled is that any helicopter, no matter how good or stealthy, will never be stealthy in direct line-of-sight at the ranges they traditionally operate from. What's needed is off-board sensor (OBS) integration on Apaches for OTH targeting. OBS can be lots of small drones, or a Gray Eagle using it's radar to find targets from altitude a safe distance behind the front. It could also be troops on the ground. The best stealth a helicopter has is being on the other side of the horizon.
A greater question is whether helicopters, given their short range can operate at all, given the possibility that their base with be targeted with SRBM delivered cluster munitions.
I would caution that Twitter rarely shows failure, although I did see one video of two FPV hitting a tank to little or no effect.
FARA was cancelled due to out year funding issues. UAS was a convenient excuse, and as pointed out above, even with its "longer" legs it was not very viable in a Pacific war. Easy target. Interestingly the FARA was to fly forward to a point just short of the Weapons Effects Zone (WEZ) of threat ADA and launch, Air Launched Effects to penetrate said WEZ and report to the FARA. The FARA, as the up front orchestrator of reconnaissance, would review the data and then push it back to higher HQ for decisions on priority targets to be shot. Part of that rational was that even with ground control stations far back, the signal in a high jamming environments and lack of usable bandwidth meant you needed a human on the loop forward. Humans don't need bandwidth. Note: first rule of Aero Scouting - use someone else's bullets.
With the demise of FARA it will indeed fall on the Apache to take on the mission.
It is keenly understood that nowhere is safe for anyone any more if you are a priority target. Dispersion in the rear area will be very much a factor in military operations.
While there are a number of VTOL solutions that could be developed to overcome the tyranny of distance, there is little stomach in the US to invest more funds just now. That said, Sikorsky is returning to tilt wing technology. However, I do not see them going out on risk without DoD funding.
Bell is already touting the virtues of the large open space behind the crew for more fuel and anything you can think of that will fit in that space (missiles, Air Launched UAS, guns, rockets, sonar buoys, etc.). USMC will remain coy until the Army has spent all the money to get the aircraft into service and then pile on. It is more likely to me that allies will join the effort before the other US Services.
breakingdefense.com
