From: bakc@giraffe.ru.ac.za (MR KR COMAN)
Subject: Re: A-10 --->Modern CAS a/c
Organization: Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Distribution: World
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 14:57:19 GMT

	A fine thread, esp the notion of "bringing back" successful design
concepts from prior -- piston engined  -- decades to fulfill Year 2000 CAS
role/s.

	One aspect that perhaps needs to be considered is the type of 
opposition that a latter-day CAS a/c would encounter.  This would, in turn,
suggest more specific design parameters.   Do we assume that there will be no
major superpower conflict in the next 10 years where such a/c will be 
deployed?  If so, then, who would we be fighting?   At one end of the scale, 
there are rag-tag-and-bobtail oppos with scant (if any) training, AK47's and 
a scattering of worn-out ("status symbol") heavy m.g.'s such as may be 
encountered in (e.g.)Somalia.  Here, anti-air capabilities from command & 
control thru to their ability to put hot metal into the air will be very 
weak.   Moving up the scale, we ultimately reach Iraq/Syria -- and dare I 
say, the Bosnia's of this sorry world and components of the old USSR.   In 
the last instances, a CAS a/c is likely to encounter the full gamut of 
dense, quite sophisticated AA defenses.

	Second, CAS a/c design also seems to be influenced by the military
doctrine of its user.  In the US instance, the tendency is to deploy strong, 
highly integrated aerial taskforces.  Each sub-element of which has a 
specific role to play and contribution to make to the mission.  (The A-10,
itself, for instance was really but one element of an overall battlefield
support/anti-tank force.)   Conversely, the general European doctrine is one 
of operating much smaller forces, with each sub-element having multi-roles, 
with high interchangibility of purpose as an operation unfolds.   Put another
way, a US military thinker would describe a dedicated-role a/c (such as the
A-10); a European counterpart something like a Harrier (say) that could
be re-tasked from ECM, to anti-tank, to interdiction, to anti-helo, etc. from
hour to hour as the need arises.

	Third, turning to the less-developed areas of the world outside of
the US and Europe, air forces of non-superpower(s) would shape a CAS a/c
in yet further and different ways -- assuming export orders were sought.
Factors such as cost, multi-role, reliability, flexibility of weapons 
packages (carry both NATO and Russian ord'nce simultaneously), etc. would
figure more strongly in their thinking.

	Overall, the idea of a simple fan-driven CAS a/c seems to best suit
two scenarios:

a) European AF tasked with low-key police ops against armed bandits in
   backwoods regions -- eg Somalia, where a little airpower goes a loooong
   way.

b) LDC AF wanting a simple money-saver but with a heavy punch against
   pretty marginal ground oppos whilst enjoying the benefit of full local
   air superiority.   (e.g. Australia versus small of Indonesian
   terrorists landing in its northern regions  -- a real issue I understand).

	On balance though, a US military person will be drawn to the idea
of a specially modified F-16 (or somesuch) that is tasked almost exclusively
for CAS work in *all* conceivable situations.  (In a helo context, a US m.p 
would find nothing strange or embarrassing about deploying Apaches to 
Somalia, whereas a French or Brit commander would find this just a little 
"over the top" and be reasonably satisfied with multi-role Lynxes.)      
Am I right?

BTW:  Octane-rated fuel for h.c. piston engines is not always available in 
the quantities needed in backwoods areas plus logistics are are 
simplified if the same fuel goes into to your  fast movers -- jet kerosene 
is the answer, thus a prop-jet design is suggested.  Also, in comparison, 
service and repair on a multi-cylinder piston engine is a horrendous 
exercise.
Cheers
Keith Coman
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"If we pay dogfood salespeople more than we   :  Dept of Management
 do teachers, we should not be surprised if   :  Rhodes University
 our dogs eat like kids, and our kids end     :  Grahamstown, 6140
 up reading like dogs."                       :  Rep of South Africa
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