CAS, Interdiction, and Attack Helicopters

Abstract

Within days of a major failed strike by attack helicopters during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) analysts were questioning the value of such platforms on the modern battlefield. As OIF moved from combat to stability operations, helicopter losses from enemy action actually increased seemingly strengthening the argument of those who see the helicopter as suitable to some combat operations. Attack helicopter operations have diverged into two distinct categories, interdiction and close air support (CAS), since their inception. This thesis argues that attack helicopters are most suited to perform CAS while their employment in interdiction is problematic at best. Doctrine, tactics, and threat are studied as they applied in the Soviet-Afghan War, Desert Storm, and OIF in order to examine the issue across a range of time and types of warfare.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA435566

Entities

People

  • Andrew S. Groenke

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Attack Helicopters
  • Combat Areas
  • Combat Operations
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Iraqi-War
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Surface To Air Missiles
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.