Are attack helicopters overrated?

[gclark03]

That wasn't meant to be an insult, Alex.

Anyway, I think they're a bit overrated, but not useless on the battlefield. They're a good military recruiting and morale-boosting tool, and they're inherently badass.

[Alex6714]

Anyway, here is an interesting vid with 3 parts.

YouTube - The Apache Attack Helicopter HQ/HD - 01/03

[Undies]

IMHO you can bolster any force with helicopters but you still need guys on the ground and armour support. Helis can do a great job of destroying ground forces but they cannot hold ground, they only have limited flight times and bombloads, and require masses of logistic support.

Ground forces by comparison can support themselves far longer and hold ground as well as take it by force.

[Cassius]

Originally Posted by Farks

Are attack helicopters overrated/overhyped? Considering how fragile helicopters are togheter with the effectiveness of modern anti-air weapons and the lock/tracking systems on armor, which gives even APC's a chance to take down helis, would attack helicopters be effective in a war with a modern army? I read on a military forum a while back that even in Iraq and Afghanistan, coalition forces prefer to use fixed wing air support over attack helicopters just because helicopters are so sensitive even to lighter weapons.

If you use an apache against an army like Germany in the same fashion as against the taliban, then yes, they are overrated. German Tanks Can take down an helicopter flying sideways to their position with the main gun and their rl accuracy is said to be better than in simulation. Why do you think some argue the leopard 2 a2 to be the best MBT ?
However if possible and avaiable apaches can stay in cover pop up fire all of their Hellfires, which identify the 8 most pressing threaths and pop down again in a matter of seconds.

Attack helicopters are crazy effective, of course you should not use them in an adverse scenario for them, but saying they are ineffective because there are countermeasures is like booing tanks, because there are Anti Tank weapons.

[Alex6714]

What is the range of this tank?

[Solid Knight]

The Apache can launch against sixteen targets simultaneously from way outside of any MBT's range.

Really, it all comes down to strategy and tactics. Saying things like "Oh such and such would win because it has the best targeting computer in the world" doesn't mean a whole lot if they aren't put to good use.

[pureperversions]

it depends on the tactics used, the apache was designed primarily as anti vehicle. loiter and hit and run fights

these days they are use a mobile fire support flying up high giving cover to the ground units, they are hunters being used a guardian angels

or thats how it seems from what i have seen

[Engineer]

I'd say, that against a country that can claim to have anti-air capacity, attack choppers are overrated in front line operations.

However, like we have seen in Gaza conflict.. It looked like the choppers were flying pretty safely and openly, because there wasnt a real concern of AA involved.

[G.Drew]

Originally Posted by Solid Knight

The Apache can launch against sixteen targets simultaneously from way outside of any MBT's range.

Really, it all comes down to strategy and tactics. Saying things like "Oh such and such would win because it has the best targeting computer in the world" doesn't mean a whole lot if they aren't put to good use.

x2, thats usually the deciding factor, how they are used.

[SuperTimo]

Originally Posted by Cassius

I German Tanks Can take down an helicopter flying sideways to their position with the main gun and their rl accuracy is said to be better than in simulation. Why do you think some argue the leopard 2 a2 to be the best MBT ?

no pilot that knows his stuff in an attack chopper will never fly in such a way that a tank can shoot him down. DO you really think that the tank can shoot down an attack chopper 8km away??

And im pretty sure the leaopard, abrams and challanger 2 all use pretty similar sighting systems.