AH-64 Lethality vs. Infantry

[SGTGunn]

True, a single 30mm HEDP burst is not going to destroy a tactically deployed squad, but what makes the gun on the AH-64 so brutally effective (and I'm sure the same could be said for similar platforms) is the accuracy of the gun and sighting system. Using thermals (which eliminates or radically reduces the effectivenss of many forms of traditional concealment for infantry i.e tall grass, light vegetation, non-thermal smoke, etc.) an AH-64 gunner can pick off inidividual soliders like a sniper, very rapidly moving from target to target. "got him, got him, got....him, got those two...and...where is, oh yep got him." Especially against any kind of weapon team - SAM, ATGM, MG - where you have 2-4 guys in a small area by virtue of the weapom system they are manning - the 30mm is sheer murder. While the 70mm/2.75" Hydra/FFAR systems are not uber-accurate, they are not wildy innacurate either, and they are meant to be used as an "area" weapon - which is why they are typically fired in salvos of 2-4 rockets. HE or HEDP rockets with point detonating fuses are more of a supressing weapon, but with the airburst HE, submuntion or airbursting flechette rockets in inventory, you have very nasty troop killers. I think there is a similar issue with modern MBT co-ax engagements. As a former 19K M1A1 Abrams gunner & TC, I can personally attest to the incredible accuracy of the M240 Coax MG. The M240 uses the same gunner's primary and thermal imaging sights as the main-gun, saem laser rangefinder, crosswind sensor, etc. and as a result a good gunner can easily pick off individual soldiers (using the TIS) with short burts, working through a squad sized element in short order. As someone who as served as both a tanker and an infantryman, if someone told me to move cross an even slightly open area I knew was covered by M1's, I'd tell them they were out of thier minds. The thought of the Leclerc with a its similarly capable FC system and a .50 cal coax gives the grunt in me the shudders. (interesting aside, when the XM-1 was being developed, an advisory board of senior tanker NCOs and officers was used to help develop the tank. Many had combat experience in Vietnam, and one of their suggestions was a co-ax armament of either 1 or 2(!!) .50 caliber MGs. That would have been sweet. The 25mm bushmaster was also considered, and a prototype with a 105mm gun, 25mm & 7.62mm coax was built. The 25mm was ultimately deleted for cost.)

winSPMBT is one of my primary "escapes" from the day-to-day grind of Iraq, so I just want to say "Thanks"!