Thread: Fast Boat Threat Faces Hail of Hellfires
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Old December 25th 09, 01:25 PM posted to rec.aviation.military,sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military.naval
dott.Piergiorgio
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Default Fast Boat Threat Faces Hail of Hellfires
ha scritto:
"Faced with the threat from swarms of small
boats. the US Navy is looking to equip the
sensor turrets of its shipborne helicopters
with the ability to designate multiple targets
for simultaneous attack by laser-guided
missiles like Hellfire."

Hmmm.....

Seems to me an excellent idea against all boats smaller than FAC (that
is, with self-defense system with 5000 mt range), providing is an AGM
mod M and later (~8000 mt. range, non-HEAT warhead)

the HE warheads, and more so the thermobaric warhead of the N and the
shrapnel of the R should be really effective against warship or
improvised attack craft (read: pirate boats) smaller than ~300-400 tons.
but the ~8km range of the hellfire and the inherent low stealthiness of
helos on the open sea preclude stand-off attacks against ships above
~400 tons, that is, capable of carrying guns from 57mm up and/or
missiles around the seasparrow size.

OTOH, this concept can also be an excellent anti-landing system, esp. in
defence of narrow and/or steep coastlines (here in Italy the idea will
be readily adopted and more so on the other side of the Adriatic )

Best regards from Italy,
Dott. Piergiorgio.