Reply #9: Hard terrain, hard use, hard conditions, long operating hours, hostile small arms fire [View All]

[AtheistCrusader]

Hell, blackhawks used to go into lawn dart mode all by themselves, when one control surface would suddenly lock all the way at it's maximum deflection. Heliocopters are great for their purposes, but they can be finicky machines.

And we are not likely to get a clear story when one is shot down by the Taliban, unfortunately. Which feeds into people underestimating the challenge we face in AG.

One of those challenges is, we've built up the Afghanistan Army to a point the country cannot afford it, without serious subsidy from outside nations. I forget the number, but it's 2x or 4x their GDP, and that's JUST the military. That's a problem you can see from orbit.