1. I just realized In the 3rd herd scenario the M150 is being used as the anti tank weapon system used at battalion level by the US.
This system was pretty much phased out in the early 80's and replaced by the M901. There may have been a few in the National guard still,
but for those units in USAREUR and all the active heavy divisions, it was the M901.
2. I also mentioned earlier that the OH-58's that operated with Apaches or Cobras by 1988 were all OH-58C's and not the A models. The only A's left in inventory were used as trainers at flight school. By the way, some C models at that time were being equipped with the air to air stinger.
The OH-58D's at that time were used in units by themselves and were unarmed at the time.
3. Effective ranges on the US weapons spreadsheet:
a. M61A1 20mm cannon (used on the Cobra) has an effective range of 2000m not 528. API ammo was only good out to 1500 against BMP's, but softer targets
like trucks and personnel were dead meat. The gun was highly accurate out to that range and we trained to hit moving targets at those ranges while we ourselves
were moving. Laser range finders along with Fire Control Computers work wonders:)
b. Hydra 70 FFAR's had a max range out to around 11,000 meters and an effective range to 6000m and that's only because our Fire Control computers wouldn't take
inputs beyond 6k's. It took a lot of practice to get them out to 6k's accurately but between 3 and 4 k's even average pilots could put them on target.
c. On the TOW missiles, they have a minimum range of 500m. The reason is it took the sight system a few seconds to pick up the missile and guide it to the target.
By the time it did, the missile had flown several hundred meters.
On a side note, we could extend the range of the TOW by flying towards the target while the missile is in flight. At 120kias, I could launch the missile at 5000m from
the target and have impact when I am still 3500m from the target. I could then break off and be out of the range of most AA fire.
4. Info on the AH-1's: In 1983 the US Army had the AH-1S (this variant was considered the fully modernized version). It had the 20mm cannon, Tow and 2.75" rocket launchers. It also had an advanced rocket management system with a head's up display, a laser range finder, fire control computer, radar detection, radar jamming equipment (AN-ALQ 144), and IR suppression equipped. We could mount flares and chaff also. We could also be equipped with an Airborne Laser Tracker for guiding in munitions from other platforms. I only flew with those on my last assignment in Germany between 88-90.
The AH-1 ECAS model had the same weapons but not the FCC nor advanced rocket system as the S model had nor the radar jamming or IR suppression gear nor the ALT.
We also had a AH-1 Mod S variant that was similar to the ECAS but in lieu of the 20mm had a turret that had a 7.62mm minigun and a 40mm auto grenade launcher. By 1985 all of the Mod S's were gone.
The Q model you have listed was out of the inventory by 1980.
Around 1986, the Army redesignated the nomenclature of the AH-1 fleet. The AH-1 ECAS became the AH-1E and the AH-1S became the AH-1F. So after 86, there were no more of the former.
Just so you know by 88 there were no ECAS models in Europe, they were all AH-1F's. I was surprised when I showed up to the 101st again in 94 and saw a couple ECAS on the flightline,
but they were hanger queens at the time and getting ready to be turned in.
5. When I was an 11B back in the 82nd in the 70's, I qualified on a weapon called the M202 Flash. I happened to see it listed as an anti-tank weapon. It was a 4 shot 66mm shoulder
fired weapon similar to the M72 Law. The difference was that the warheads were filled with a napalm type substance that when upon impact would burst into flame. it had a point target
range of around 200m but an area target range of 800m. While you could use it on a tank it was mostly an anti-personnel weapon against dug in positions. It was also semi-automatic and a fun weapon to use
