I have been considering the role of rotorcraft in modern warfare, and particularly in the conduct of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. For technologists, industrialists, and investors, I offer three points:
- Loitering above a battlefield, or on an airfield, is so dangerous that most military aviation must eventually become fleeting and field-independent.
- Rotary- and fixed-wing combat aircraft are somewhat fungible, as both attack and scout machines.
- The experience of the Russo-Ukrainian War suggests future demand for rotorcraft with standoff precision weapons. Industry needs battlefield demonstrations and a long-term marketing effort to encourage acceptance of a conclusive shift from fixed- to rotary-wing emphasis in battlefield air support.
I will update this analysis as events warrant. Download my full six-page analysis through the link below: