Osprey might be fitted with gun that achieves 360-degree field of fire

Stars and Stripes ^ | Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | Jeff Schogol

[rlmorel]

Thanks for posting it...good to hear.

[outofstyle]

Ospreys come equipped with a gun at the ramp in the rear of the aircraft, but they might also get a gun with a 360-degree field of fire...

The last time that I commented on this airframe I got hit from 360 degrees. I await the "Osprey"ping list response.

[Yossarian]

I look forward to this getting implemented. I wish this was on at the start of the program, but I understand funding for that got shot down (no pun intended) years ago.

I hope it makes it past our do-nothing-useful-for-the-troops Congrmess.

Anything to add to this, AA? Please try to be polite if you disagree....

[Joe 6-pack]

I kind of like the "retro" look...

[Zhang Fei]

The original Sikorsky helicopter was just an airborne ambulance - no guns. While the Osprey was in development, critics raised issues that weren’t overcome by the time of the deployment. Just as with the first helicopter, solutions will be found to some of these problems once the troops get a little experience with the machines and start to figure out how to work out the kinks in sit down meetings with the engineers.

[Candor7]

360 degrees field of fire without shooting the props off?

Sounds interesting, now if it could only be made into an infra-red motion sensitive automated turret gun, we would really see the dawn of a new age.

Hover, turn on the gun, feed ammo into the hopper, and wait 5.

BRrrrrraaaaaapppp!

OK .safe to land now!

[Dumpster Baby]

The last time that I commented on this airframe I got hit from 360 degrees

Me too. I think it's inherently a deathtrap, less likely to remain controllable than a helicopter when taking hits from AA or missiles. This thing is the very definition of "asymmetrical thrust". I know it has provisions to drive the props from one engine, but all that machinery can be broken easily. I would hate to have to ride around in one.

[Publius6961]

With those 2-acre propellers, I doubt very seriously that 360-degrees is exactly accurate...

[mamelukesabre]

Oh no! They’ll shoot their tires off!

[Candor7]

What a nice shot, is that a B-17?

[mamelukesabre]

I’ll tell you what would be really cool. Take that there turret ball in that there pic and flip it upside down and set it on the roof of a humvee.

I think I suggested this once before here on FR a long time ago. Maybe a year ago.

[Joe 6-pack]

"...is that a B-17?"

That's affirmative.

[FreedomProtector]

A couple weeks ago on the way to the beach, I drove by Camp Lejeune (Marine Base on North Carolina coast). It was an incredibly humbling experience driving on the main thoroughfare in front of the base and reading all of the welcome home signs and seeing the Ospreys fly overhead.

[ExpatGator]

360 degrees could be with an elevation of just 1 degree above straight down. It will have a 360 degree train potential, but it will have to be blocked from firing into the prop diameter when trained forward port and starboard.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I’ll tell you what would be really cool. Take that there turret ball in that there pic and flip it upside down and set it on the roof of a humvee."

As I was leaving the Army, the MP Corps was in the initial stages of fielding the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle (ASV). I think you'll find it pretty much offers what you proposed.

[Delacon]

I read the title and worried that the seahawks were starting to arm themselves. Whew.

[Jet Jaguar]

LOL

[pyx]

With those 2-acre propellers, I doubt very seriously that 360-degrees is exactly accurate...

360 degrees would seem somewhat easy to achieve. Because, 360 degrees is simply a circle. The circle can be quite large or the circle can be small. From a height, even a somewhat small circle traced by the travel of the guns would cover quite a large area on the ground. Also note, the 360 degrees is only in one plane -- a somewhat horizontal plane and not a vertical plane.

[usmcobra]

Once upon a time not too long ago people actually believed that if you fired enough rockets off the sides of helicopters the thrust from the rockets would be enough to cause the helicopter to stop in mid air and crash...

Aircraft engineers have been dealing with the possibility of shooting through the propeller since WWI.