Re: Thales Watchkeeper WK450 (British Army)
Posted: 16 Jun 2022, 10:04
Well the gift that Keeps on giving….keeps the engineers employed
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Well watchkeeper is now more than simply an artillery spotting air vehicle.Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 09:30A lot has changed since 2005 and the infrastructure point is a good one.
The main question is, after lessons learnt in Ukraine, what now and how fast should it be procured?
One of the most persistent criticisms has been the RA training for pilots/operators, that has been to blame for a number of crashes. Like so many platforms it crosses over cap badges and indeed services. Given the way we should be getting a common picture across the battlespace I'd hope the Army looks at giving the next generation to the AAC...SW1 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 12:18Well watchkeeper is now more than simply an artillery spotting air vehicle.Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 09:30A lot has changed since 2005 and the infrastructure point is a good one.
The main question is, after lessons learnt in Ukraine, what now and how fast should it be procured?
But it’s what uavs are supposed to do be expendable used and lost in conflict. The more you try to make them have the same attrition rate of manned a/c the more there cost will increase.
The lesson would be maybe more orbats are required more people trained to operate the air vehicles and perhaps more attrition built into your assumptions. But it’s like everything what to do wish to prioritise as what you’re contributing in future operations.
I’ve suggested before where I would prioritise in this regard and airborne surveillance and istar aircraft would be one such area.
The army hasn’t been particularly gd in this regard it did forget to budget for apache aircrew training after all.Timmymagic wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 16:17One of the most persistent criticisms has been the RA training for pilots/operators, that has been to blame for a number of crashes. Like so many platforms it crosses over cap badges and indeed services. Given the way we should be getting a common picture across the battlespace I'd hope the Army looks at giving the next generation to the AAC...SW1 wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 12:18Well watchkeeper is now more than simply an artillery spotting air vehicle.Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 09:30A lot has changed since 2005 and the infrastructure point is a good one.
The main question is, after lessons learnt in Ukraine, what now and how fast should it be procured?
But it’s what uavs are supposed to do be expendable used and lost in conflict. The more you try to make them have the same attrition rate of manned a/c the more there cost will increase.
The lesson would be maybe more orbats are required more people trained to operate the air vehicles and perhaps more attrition built into your assumptions. But it’s like everything what to do wish to prioritise as what you’re contributing in future operations.
I’ve suggested before where I would prioritise in this regard and airborne surveillance and istar aircraft would be one such area.
Is it?
At what point does an STA asset become AAC and not RA?Timmymagic wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 16:17 One of the most persistent criticisms has been the RA training for pilots/operators, that has been to blame for a number of crashes. Like so many platforms it crosses over cap badges and indeed services. Given the way we should be getting a common picture across the battlespace I'd hope the Army looks at giving the next generation to the AAC...
Well they aren’t spotting for artillery off the coast of Cyprus are they or even in the channel?RunningStrong wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 17:44Is it?At what point does an STA asset become AAC and not RA?Timmymagic wrote: ↑31 Jul 2023, 16:17 One of the most persistent criticisms has been the RA training for pilots/operators, that has been to blame for a number of crashes. Like so many platforms it crosses over cap badges and indeed services. Given the way we should be getting a common picture across the battlespace I'd hope the Army looks at giving the next generation to the AAC...
Not forgetting the gunners on Hermes/Watchkeeper would have been used to crashing their UAS, it was how they worked for years before!
They're not operational off Cyprus, it's fair weather flying for training.
I guess the Intelligence Corps could have claim on them as well...