The Russian helicopters are designed for high-altitude operations, like in Afghanistan. Our Blackhawks and Chinooks aren’t.
So you’re telling me the US Army speced and bought helicopters that did not take into account high altitude missions? As I recall, the Blackhawk was delivered during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. And why were they in Afghanistan? Two words: Oil and gas. I find it difficult to believe the Blackhawk has no high level capability—or could not be retrofitted as appropriate.
I have also read the Hind is a high maintenance aircraft. How does the Blackhawk stack up?
Just as Onada has made the US dependent on Russian rockets to get into space, it appears to me he is deliberately trying to destroy American helicopter producers. Onada cannot be a traitor because he is not an American citizen. But he can and should be tried for espionage and sabotage.
Talk about outsourcing and killing American jobs—it doesn’t get more blatent than this.
Thoughts anyone?