Information has emerged out of South Korea that the nation’s plans for a follow-on purchase of 36 AH-64E Apache Guardian assault helicopters have been aborted. These plane would have joined 36 AH-64s already procured for Republic of Korea (ROK) service.
The Korea Occasions reviews that the $2.2B deal was cancelled after the funding was practically zeroed out in a supplemental funds that was authorised final Friday. The outlet additionally famous the 66% enhance in value of the plane in comparison with the primary order round a decade in the past. Discuss that South Korea might cancel its follow-on Apache order had been current for a while now.
Yu Yong-weon, a member of South Korea’s Nationwide Meeting belonging to the Individuals Energy Occasion, informed The Korea Occasions that the vulnerability of helicopters to proliferated air defenses and loitering munitions/drones which have been showcased to the world in Ukraine spurred the choice. Yu said: “Drones and sensible techniques are redefining fashionable battlefields… Fairly than clinging to costly legacy platforms, we should put money into capabilities that replicate the way forward for warfare.”
An Apache operates over the firing vary in Pocheon, South Korea. (Picture by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Photos) Chung Sung-Jun
As TWZ has famous for years now, nicely earlier than Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, the assault helicopter’s utility must be questioned. This doesn’t imply it’s irrelevant, it means the rationale behind what number of assets to pour into this class of plane must be reevaluated primarily based on the obtrusive realities of at this time’s battlespace, not to mention what we are able to predict for that of tomorrow.
Survivability is definitely on the prime of the listing right here. How can a low and slow-flying helicopter function shut sufficient to its goal to be helpful in a conventional direct assault sense with out being put at excessive threat? New techniques and mixed arms ideas can definitely go a great distance right here, however pop-up threats — akin to man-portable air protection techniques (MANPADS), road-mobile SAMs and anti-aircraft artillery — which are very laborious to foretell and thus tougher to plan for, stay a obtrusive difficulty.
Footage of a Russian Mi-24/35 assault helicopter getting shot down this morning by Ukrainian forces close to Kyiv utilizing MANPADS (man-portable air-defense techniques). #Ukraine️ pic.twitter.com/Lb2nXbzVYh
— 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐏𝐢𝐱 (@combatpix1) March 5, 2022
Then there may be the arrival of low-cost loitering munitions that may take down helicopters as targets of alternative or be launched and chase them down on demand. These weapons pose a rising and extremely dynamic risk, too.
The proliferation of look-down radar capabilities and superior long-range air protection techniques additionally pose large threats to assault helicopters. That is particularly in order sensor constancy and superior networking capabilities proceed to develop, together with a variety of counter-air missile expertise. The exploitation of the radar horizon and terrain masking can be much less efficient at offering some safety from these threats with every passing yr.
New longer-range weapons, together with missiles and air-launched results (ALEs), the latter of which may act to assault, decoy, and jam air defenses, supply one other survivability cushion, however solely in opposition to some threats. Enhanced situational consciousness and digital warfare techniques may also assist. Suffice it to say that the rising dangers to assault helicopters put their future in a murkier place.
YEOUNCHUN, SOUTH KOREA – JULY 28: An AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopter hovers throughout a navy drill on July 28, 2003, in Yeounchun, South Korea. (Picture by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Photos) Chung Sung-Jun
Then there may be the vary difficulty. Assault helicopters have notoriously quick vary, particularly when laden for fight. In a contemporary period of anti-access capabilities, how assault helicopters would even get inside launch vary of their goal space, not to mention survive as soon as they’re there, a minimum of in lots of fight situations, can be an enormous query mark. Velocity additionally buys a point of survivability, which conventional helicopters don’t have. These elements are particularly magnified within the Pacific, which, partly, drove the U.S. Military to additional develop and procure the tiltrotor V-280 Valor over the compound helicopter Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant. You may learn all about that right here.
In terms of the Korean Peninsula, the vary drawback is much much less pronounced, however the survivability one is arguably extra so. If North Korea continues to accumulate technological assist from Russia to boost its already quickly increasing drone portfolio and its air defenses, it will solely develop into extra pronounced. So, it’s not too shocking that the billions of {dollars} that had been alleged to be spent on further Apaches can be realigned to different packages, particularly drones and new capabilities. Amongst them will certainly be one-way assault munitions, one thing South Korea is already an adopter of, that quickly will be capable to function with no man-in-the-loop, with primary AI capabilities used to permit them to decide on their very own targets. You may learn all about this looming revolution in warfare right here. For a combat throughout the DMZ, there actually isn’t a extra related weapon presently, minus possibly artillery.
As well as, South Korea has its personal, albeit much less succesful attack-capable helicopters, together with its Marine Assault Helicopter (MAH) and its Gentle Assault Helicopter (LAH), which might increase to reinforce the prevailing AH-64 pressure.
Marine Assault Helicopter in testing.
A closing notice right here is that usually occasions pundits and the media will painting one thing as completely irrelevant or related. This binary, ‘black and white’ positioning makes for a very good headline, but it surely often isn’t wherever close to consultant of the nuanced actuality we dwell in. The AH-64 and different assault helicopters nonetheless have their makes use of and are an necessary part of mixed arms technique at this time, however that doesn’t imply increasing their fleet measurement and even sustaining the present fleet measurement is logical. A lowered pressure balanced in opposition to new capabilities could be a prudent answer and this may be realized over time as the prevailing pressure wants deep upgrades and overhaul. However, if the pressure is just too small it received’t be operationally related and it is going to be very pricey to keep up for its measurement. So a steadiness is required right here, as nicely.
And it’s additionally value highlighting that demand for the Apache stays stable, with continued curiosity overseas.
Regardless, it’s attainable if not outright possible that we’ll see comparable adjustments to the U.S. Military’s pressure rotary wing stock within the years to come back. The service has roughly 825 Apaches in operation at this time. Because the pressure adapts (presently, far too slowly) to a brand new period of warfare, that quantity might change dramatically.
We can be exploring this subject extra in-depth sooner or later.
Contact the writer: Tyler@twz.com
