I wasn't even thinking about that, just the situation that may or may not exist. Know about fast movers, etc., but was thinking mainly about "Political Correctness" and the "Gee Whiz, I'm gonna screw up my career" thought process that sometimes pervades WashDC.... That .05 sec of thinking about the next Promotion Board could cost a lot of lives.
We do, indeed, though , need more cost effective helos to take care of the 150's and their ilk, it's a lot easier, speed wise, than the difference between any fighter including a Harrier, and a helo, which has the inherent ability to make quick changes in airspeed, and to match airspeeds with a/c like a 150 doing at best, what 140KIAS? and that's pushing the heck out of it.......(hey, I've done things in 150's/152's(as well as a lot of other GA aircraft that Cessna (or the other GA mfgrs) never meant for them to do, and gotten away with it, and discovered that their published specs (including ceiling, were fantasy, and could be exceeded at will) but that comes under the heading of "don't try this at home", and "Don't ever try this yourself") I do admit having fun....yes, I had a 'chute and my helmet and O2 mask, complete with demand reg, followed Mil Regs on that(use over 10K') if I was doing any stupid altitude tricks......I will, however, refuse to disclose names, places, of other personnel who participated in other A/C who were just as fun-loving, and we never got nailed by Uncle Foxtrot Alfa Alfa for any of it (all pre- 9/11 of course, and nowhere near any controlled airspace, well, unless you consider 18K' a couple of times with no filing IFR, but well, we had fun ;-)
You are right about the radar, but the idea of helos is a darn good one... cheaper to operate for an intercept of small GA aircraft, and with any armed person,( a good door gunner?? Works for me!! could bring one down at will...... GOOD IDEA!!!!...
Thanks for jogging this Topamax induced moment ;-)
Greg
There one more aspect not considered so far; the ppl operating the PMBs have the advantage of eyes on the target and perhaps visual/radio reports from others in that unit; whereas we, plus the news mediots, plus the FAA and security at the WH and Capitol bldg are physically *blind* in such a real-time situation. The 'eyes on' aspect by the PMB personnel would make it a LOT easier to hit that 'launch' button expeditiously. Hey, if I was on duty at the launch console and I got the order from a recognized authority/chain of command figure, if verbal, I would ask once "are you sure" then pending the quick "affirmative" answer I would launch.