關於 tactical air support ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

美國陸軍開發一種可對付巡弋飛彈和無人機的防空飛彈，降低主要防空飛彈的發射和攻擊成本

US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center is leading the Air and Missile Defense effort for the #USArmy and is focused on key S&T projects that support the Army’s strategy. AMD is one of the U.S. Army's modernization priorities.

A critical part of the Army’s strategy involves moving away from stove-piped capabilities toward layered defenses that will work together to protect against a full spectrum of threats. This will be particularly important in future battles where multiple domains will be challenged.

The CCDC Aviation and Missile Center is developing and demonstrating the Low-Cost Extended Range Air Defense (LowER AD), an air defense interceptor that is smaller and more affordable than the Patriot missile. The LowER AD will be used to defeat sub-sonic cruise missiles and tactical/lethal UAVs, leaving expensive Patriot interceptors for more stressing threats.

Most of the parts of the LowER AD technology will not be seen by users, but the reduced size of the missile will allow twice as many missiles per launcher. Internal components of the LowER AD missile technology will include improved navigation, seeker and warhead, which will maximize capability to protect defended areas and troops.

#ArmyTeam #SupportTheSoldier #AMD #AirMissileDefense U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command #ArmyFutures #ArmyTech

美國在本周一(24日)已經同意透過「外國軍售計畫」(FMS)出售AH-64E阿帕契直升機給北非國家摩洛哥王國，共計24架，也是首個接收最新型號的非洲國家

On 27 April 2020, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of Boeing AH-64E Apaches to Morocco

The contract is not signed yet, but the USD 4,25 billion contract will contains 24 AH-64E Guardians and related equipment. Within the possible contract, the Moroccan government takes option on another twelve AH-64Es.

Scramble Facebook News (SFN) already reported (as one of the first) back in July 2018 about the first rumours of this purchase *. At that time the Alkowat al malakiya al jawiya (Royal Morocco Air Force) also showed interest in the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) T-129 Atak helicopter, but as TAI was not allowed to use US engines, the T-129 could not be exported. In August 2019, SFN reported again about the possible purchase, when the Morrocan government requested 24 new Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters **.

The AH-64E Guardians each will be equipped with two General Electric T700-GE-701D engines and the RMAF plans to take six spare-engines. The advanced helicopters further will get Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/ Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors (M-TADS/PNVS); eighteen, and eighteen helicopters will be equipped with a Fire Control Radars (FCR) with Radar Electronic Units (REU) on top of the rotor. Among other equipment, the RMAF Guardians will get Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial Navigation, Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS), radar signal and laser detecting sets, all kind of modern communication suits, including Link-16, Improved Countermeasure Dispensing System, automatic direction finders, Tactical Air Navigation, Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range/Instrument Landing Systems (VOR/ILS).

The proposed armament involves 551x AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, 60x AGM-114L Hellfire missiles; 72x Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), 588x Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) kits, 200 AIM-92H air-to-air Stinger missiles and launchers, M230E1 + M139 AWS automatic gun with 65,500x 30mm rounds (with an option on another 27,500x 30mm), M261 and M299 rocket launchers with 3,896x 2.75-inch rockets (with an option on another 1,320 2.75").

The proposed contract also involves flight simulators, spare parts, support equipment, training and logistic support.

*) SFN 2 July 2018 https://www.facebook.com/Scramblemagazine/posts/2276377202388801
**) https://www.facebook.com/Scramblemagazine/posts/2951234524903062

The Apache Guardians sale will improve Morocco’s capability to meet current and future threats, and will enhance interoperability with its allies. The RMAF does not have any dedicated attack helicopters on strength and does rely on light armed types like the SA342L Gazelle, based at Rabat/Salé/ 1 Air Base.

#RMAF #Apache #AH64E #ApacheGuardian #T129Atak #H64 #TAI #Boeing #helicopters #attackhelicopter #aviation #Morocco #RoyalMoroccanAirForce #RMAF #militaryaviation #militaryaviationnews #armyaviation #attackhelicopter #avgeek #avgeeks #avaddict Avgeekery.com Avgeek's Avgeek's Page ah-64 AH-64 Apache Helicopter FI AeroWeb AH-64 Apache AH-64 Apache Keep the AH-64 Apache in the National Guard 301redskinsquadron

Photo credit: Instagram Stephan_debruijn (AH-64Es of the Qatar Emiri Air Force)

這款大家應該都很熟，原為二戰運輸機C-47原，在1960年代越戰期間，改裝成空中砲艇「AC-47」，代號「幽靈」(Spooky)，綽號被稱「噴火神龍」(Puff, the Magic Dragon，出自1963年發表的美國流行歌曲〈魔法龍帕夫〉)

美軍在C-47的兩個窗開口上，以及所有左側的貨艙門上安裝3挺M134機槍(Minigun)，其主要功能是為地面部隊實行近距空中支援，可以提供綿密的火網支援，有效火力覆蓋約為一個平均直徑47.5公尺的微橢圓面，由於在越南戰場上得到實戰驗證，獲得駐越美軍的尊敬與仰賴，這也是美軍首個空中砲艇的始祖

#VietnamReviited
The Douglas AC-47 Spooky (also nicknamed "Puff, the Magic Dragon") was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. It was designed to provide more firepower than light and medium ground-attack aircraft in certain situations when ground forces called for close air support.
In August 1964, years of fixed-wing gunship experimentation reached a new peak with Project Tailchaser under the direction of Capt. John C. Simons. This test involved the conversion of a single Convair C-131B to be capable of firing a single GAU-2/A Minigun at a downward angle out of the left side of the aircraft. Even crude grease pencil crosshairs were quickly discovered to enable a pilot flying in a pylon turn to hit a stationary area target with relative accuracy and ease. The Armament Development and Test Center tested the craft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, but lack of funding soon suspended the tests. In 1964, Capt. Ron W. Terry returned from temporary duty in Vietnam as part of an Air Force Systems Command team reviewing all aspects of air operations in counter-insurgency warfare, where he had noted the usefulness of C-47s and C-123s orbiting as flare ships during night attacks on fortified hamlets. He received permission to conduct a live-fire test using the C-131 and revived the side-firing gunship program.

By October, Capt. Terry's team under Project Gunship provided a C-47D, which was converted to a similar standard as the Project Tailchaser aircraft and armed with three miniguns, which were initially mounted on locally fabricated mounts—essentially strapped gun pods intended for fixed-wing aircraft (SUU-11/A) onto a mount allowing them to be fired remotely out the port side. Captain Terry and a testing team arrived at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, on 2 December 1964, with equipment needed to modify two C-47s. The first test aircraft (43-48579, a C-47B-5-DK mail courier converted to C-47D standard by removal of its superchargers) was ready by 11 December, the second by 15 December, and both were allocated to the 1st Air Commando Squadron for combat testing. The newly dubbed "FC-47" often operated under the radio call sign "Puff". Its primary mission involved protecting villages, hamlets, and personnel from mass attacks by VC guerrilla units.

Puff's first significant success occurred on the night of 23–24 December 1964. An FC-47 arrived over the Special Forces outpost at Tranh Yend in the Mekong Delta just 37 minutes after an air support request, fired 4,500 rounds of ammunition, and broke the Viet Cong attack. The FC-47 was then called to support a second outpost at Trung Hung, about 20 miles (32 km) away. The aircraft again blunted the VC attack and forced a retreat. Between 15 and 26 December, all the FC-47's 16 combat sorties were successful. On 8 February 1965, an FC-47 flying over the Bong Son area of Vietnam’s Central Highlands demonstrated its capabilities in the process of blunting a Viet Cong offensive. For over four hours, it fired 20,500 rounds into a Viet Cong hilltop position, killing an estimated 300 Viet Cong troops.

The early gunship trials were so successful, the second aircraft was returned to the United States early in 1965 to provide crew training. In July 1965, Headquarters USAF ordered TAC to establish an AC-47 squadron. By November 1965, a total of five aircraft were operating with the 4th Air Commando Squadron, activated in August as the first operational unit, and by the end of 1965, a total of 26 had been converted. Training Detachment 8, 1st Air Commando Wing, was subsequently established at Forbes AFB, Kansas. In Operation Big Shoot, the 4th ACS in Vietnam grew to 20 AC-47s (16 aircraft plus four reserves for attrition).

The 4th ACS deployed to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, on 14 November 1965. Now using the call sign "Spooky", each of its three 7.62 mm miniguns could selectively fire either 50 or 100 rounds per second. It can be seen in action here. Cruising in an overhead left-hand orbit at 120 knots air speed at an altitude of 3,000 feet (910 m), the gunship could put a bullet or glowing red tracer (every fifth round) bullet into every square yard of a football field-sized target in potentially less than 10 seconds. And, as long as its 45-flare and 24,000-round basic load of ammunition held out, it could do this intermittently while loitering over the target for hours.
In May 1966, the squadron moved north to Nha Trang Air Base to join the newly activated 14th Air Commando Wing. The 3rd Air Commando Squadron was activated at Nha Trang on 5 April 1968 as a second AC-47 squadron, with both squadrons redesignated as Special Operations Squadrons on 1 August 1968. Flights of both squadrons were stationed at bases throughout South Vietnam, and one flight of the 4th SOS served at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base with the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. The superb work of the two AC-47 squadrons, each with 16 AC-47s flown by aircrews younger than the aircraft they flew, was undoubtedly a key contributor to the award of the Presidential Unit Citation to the 14th Air Commando Wing in June 1968.
One of the most publicized battles of the Vietnam War was the siege of Khe Sanh in early 1968, known as "Operation Niagara". More than 24,000 tactical and 2700 B-52 strikes dropped 110,000 tons of ordnance in attacks that averaged over 300 sorties per day. During the two and a half months of combat in that tiny area, fighters were in the air day and night. At night, AC-47 gunships kept up a constant chatter of fire against enemy troops. During darkness, AC-47 gunships provided illumination against enemy troops.

The AC-47D gunship should not be confused with a small number of C-47s which were fitted with electronic equipment in the 1950s. Prior to 1962, these aircraft were designated AC-47D. When a new designation system was adopted in 1962, these became EC-47Ds. The original gunships had been designated FC-47D by the United States Air Force, but with protests from fighter pilots, this designation was changed to AC-47D during 1965. Of the 53 aircraft converted to AC-47 configuration, 41 served in Vietnam and 19 were lost to all causes, 12 in combat. Combat reports indicate that no village or hamlet under Spooky Squadron protection was ever lost, and a plethora of reports from civilians and military personnel were made about AC-47s coming to the rescue and saving their lives.

As the United States began Project Gunship II and Project Gunship III, many of the remaining AC-47Ds were transferred to the Vietnam Air Force, the Royal Lao Air Force, and to Cambodia's Khmer Air Force, after Prince Norodom Sihanouk was deposed in a coup by General Lon Nol.

A1C John L. Levitow, an AC-47 loadmaster with the 3rd SOS, received the Medal of Honor for saving his aircraft, Spooky 71, from destruction on 24 February 1969 during a fire support mission at Long Binh. The aircraft was struck by an 82-mm mortar round that inflicted 3,500 shrapnel holes, wounding Levitow 40 times, but he used his body to jettison an armed magnesium flare, which ignited shortly after Levitow ejected it from the aircraft, allowing the AC-47 to return to base. #Phoenix