Lillypads and HIFR

[RoccoNZ]

I was reading an article on possible CONOPS for the LCS fleet. There is an interesting section on using LCS as a Lillypad using helicopter in flight refuelling (HIFR):

Elsewhere, there is a premium on being able to move ships and/or helicopters rapidly to exploit designated CCOIs. Assuming that a helicopter has a 120 kt cruise speed and four hours’ endurance with standard loadout, it would be able to reach any point within a circle of 240 nm radius from the launching platform, thus covering an area of over 2,300 sq nm. If, however, the launching platform were able to sprint at 45 knots for two hours towards the recovery point, the effective mission radius would increase to 285 nm and the area covered to
over 2,800 sq nm.

...

Perhaps the LCS sea frame feature that offers the greatest flexibility to the operational commander is the large flight deck that allows the ship to support a variety of helicopters types as well as VTUAVs. The ability to move the lilypads around rapidly in response to changing tactical circumstances facilitates a greater range of missions and mission profiles.The power of fast, mobile lilypads is even further enhanced if LCSs operate in conjunction with ESGs or ARGs with their considerably larger number of helicopters
of various types that could be supported by LCS flight decks for multiple contemporaneous operations. As noted above, though, this does entail some implicit assumptions concerning parts, personnel, minor repair capability, etc. that
must be met to meet sustained air operations requirements, especially involving diverse aircraft types.

nm.[/i]

Obviously the concept isn't new, and has been established practice for some time. Grappling with a scenario that had long ranges and a large ASW problem, I got a bit frustrated that there wasn't a way to extend the range or endurance of helicopters without changing their base and initiating a long reload/refuel cycle. Without wanting to open up that can of worms, I thought that allowing HIFR for selected platforms would be consistent with in-game refuelling practice for fixed wings, wouldn't break game flight cycle time assumptions and be and 'doctrinally correct.'

So, feature request:

Can we add HIFR as game functionality?

[NickD]

This would be a good feature. I imagine that there would need to be a trade-off in subsequently longer ready times for the helicopter after it lands though to reflect the need for crew rest and maintenance.

[CV60]

It would be a good feature also for scenario designers who want to create a situation such as this:

While America is preoccupied with the Middle East, evidence accumulates that China is actively preparing for the launch of a war with Japan. Just over a week after I wrote this article on evidence of China’s preparations for an attack, Janes on 22 January published this image from 13 October 2014 of the helipads under construction in the Nanji Islands:

The image shows the construction of ten helipads with trenching around them. The trenching would be for individual fuel lines to each helipad. This is an expeditionary helipad complex. Flights of ten helicopters would fly in from the mainland, refuel as quickly as possible, and then fly on to the Senkakus.


Source: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/201 ... japan.html

[renders]

.

[RoccoNZ]

Bump...

Just want to make sure this makes the requests list

[mikmykWS]

Ok got it

[Nikel]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread.


Today I noticed this property in the Seahawks, HIFR.

But the helo cannot refuel from a near ship while airborne, the order is not available for the unit.

So, is it added to the db but not possible in the simulation yet?

H.png (33.77 KiB) Viewed 36 times

RL examples.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SqFv-Zc8gE