• Tilted@programming.dev
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    1 year ago

    Hopefully we can provide enough airpower to give Ukraine the air superiority, or at least even the playing field

  • Gork@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    Before the war, KA-52s were hyped as a kind of Apache killer. Now we see them dropping from the skies like flies. Is the platform bad? I like the counter-rotating blades as it reduces the mechanical inefficiency present when you have to torque a smaller rotor at the back of the helicopter.

    Or it could just be a sign of the effectiveness of anti-air systems being used.

    • thebestaquaman@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      ·
      1 year ago

      I think “dropping like flies” is a bit of an overstatement when you regard the number of sorties being flown. I think this is more a sign of how saturated the airspace is with AA, if any pilot is just a bit uncareful or unlucky, they will get shot down.

      Tbf. these have been more effective than I would have liked to see against Ukrainian armour, and we even have a video of one surviving having its tail shot off.

      As for how they would do if western aircraft were in the air: That might be a different story, and not one I’m going to speculate about.