Comments by "Andy Dee" (@AndyViant) on "Russia's top attack helicopter performing poorly in Ukraine?" video.

  1. The inability to detect ambush by individuals using shoulder mounted surface to air missiles is a universal weakness of helicopters. Perhaps the west could be performing more low speed CAS runs with A-10s or similar, but that would likely lead to increased plane losses for fewer helicopter losses. Overall, given the toughness of the Warthog versus the susceptibility of any attack helicopter, it would mean slightly less losses, but at a greater cost of unit lost. However, A-10 are not replaceable either, and it looks like the US won't be buying Textron Scorpions, and is unlikely to buy more than token numbers of a Brazilian design like the Super Tucano, even with the American built versions available. A step back to the AT-6 Wolverine as replacements would be a HUGE capability drop, but hey, Beechcraft have lobbied hard. Heck, even a drop back to the Super Tucano is a huge capability drop.
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  2.  @d0mram-02  Yeah, that is the problem. Useful for total air superiority scenarios against goat herders with 303 bolt actions. Utterly useless against a modern foe. The A10 at least has survivability and that massive 30mm autocannon. A trainer aircraft with a couple of missiles and a bit of added armour by comparison isn't in the same league.
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