Sarathi S. Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Oh, absolutely. Why pay money for something you're not using. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raptor71 Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 18 hours ago, Whiskey said: @Raptor71 How's the Spike's coming along? Something that I caught while doing some research earlier is that the Army has stopped everything regarding the APKWS. Probably makes sense of why they are pursuing the Spike now. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/02/army-kills-apkws-rockets-mystery-missile-mirm/ I have already printed the system in 1/48 and 1/72 scale for the Apache. Then I will also do it for the Venezuelan Black Hawks Arpia 4 (which have the data link antenna on the left pylon with a specific adapter). The APKWS system is simply a laser kit which is applied on 2.75 "rockets, costs approximately $ 22,000 and has a range of approximately 8000m. The Spike system that is being tested on the US Apache is in the long range NLOS version. It has a port of approximately 25 km and costs over $ 300,000. This missile is used in a very specific way. It is generally launched from behind a hill or mountain, in order to make itself "invisible". the missile has a fiber optic cable which in this case only serves for the first few kilometers. Then the cable is cut and the missile is guided by the operator thanks to all the links to the antenna data installed on the right wing of the Apache. I am attaching a video that I find interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPK4dPX4lsQ&t=434s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Does anybody know what the light grey cylindrical load is on the left Hellfire rack on the Spike NLOS test AH-64E in the above video? And does anyone know the serial number for that ship? It is difficult to say if it is an instrumented test ship or not (strain gauges, cameras etc). Where can I purchase a Spike NLOS antenna and missile pod for a 1/72 model? Do you sell them to the modelling public, Raptor 71? Thanks. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MusicOn Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Yes, enquiring minds want to know! Any way to get a set in 1/72? On 6/7/2020 at 6:09 PM, Loach Driver said: Does anybody know what the light grey cylindrical load is on the left Hellfire rack on the Spike NLOS test AH-64E in the above video? And does anyone know the serial number for that ship? It is difficult to say if it is an instrumented test ship or not (strain gauges, cameras etc). Where can I purchase a Spike NLOS antenna and missile pod for a 1/72 model? Do you sell them to the modelling public, Raptor 71? Thanks. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share Posted January 8, 2021 To follow up, has this weapon actually been fielded on US Apaches? If so, any pics out there? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snake36bravo Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 On 1/8/2021 at 8:49 AM, 11bee said: To follow up, has this weapon actually been fielded on US Apaches? If so, any pics out there? Fielded on US Apaches at YPG, Yuma Proving Grounds, AUG 2019. See here: https://www.army.mil/article/236110/spike_missile_tested_leveraging_foreign_comparative_testing_program And video of this here https://youtu.be/CDaCzCKd9x0 US AH-64E with Spike mounted in hi-res Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snake36bravo Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) Thanks for the links and pictures. Always interesting to see what is currently going on with the AH-64E. (On a slightly related topic, I am currently building the 1/72 Academy AH-64D (Late) as a Block III D in Afghanistan. It is a fairly modern kit and the engineering behind the parts layout is impressive. Everything fits together so well! This is my first time building what I would consider to be a "modern" kit and it is quite a change from all the 1980's and 90's kits I have built in the past. The kit would also serve a a good basis for an AH-64E Guardian.) LD. Edited January 11, 2021 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 9 hours ago, snake36bravo said: Thanks Snake. I was aware of those ships at YPG but as far as I know, those were just test ships. I was wondering if this mod is now fielded w operational units? Haven't see any pictures of line Apaches fitted with this yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snake36bravo Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I'm on the D with the E folks down the hall in our SCIF. I'd like to ask for a friend but I've got this clearance thing going on and I once got a knock-knock just for requesting DTIC declassify some Vietnam War era documents on the AH-1G Cobra back in 2013, 42 years after they were written. OSINT is your best bet. I'll leave you to it. LD, thanks for the detail on the Academy kit. I've been waffling on which to pick up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 Update.... Army helo flies from Air Force Base to engage maritime target. Team Purple at it's finest. https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2539737/test-unit-helps-army-with-spike-demo/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 On 1/14/2021 at 2:47 PM, snake36bravo said: I'm on the D with the E folks down the hall in our SCIF. I'd like to ask for a friend but I've got this clearance thing going on and I once got a knock-knock just for requesting DTIC declassify some Vietnam War era documents on the AH-1G Cobra back in 2013, 42 years after they were written. I've been doing some amateur research on Vietnam helo operations (and some early TF160 subjects) over the years. Had mixed results with FOIA's but as of yet, no one has knocked on 11Bee's door. Are you at liberty to share what specific info you were looking for regarding those Cobras? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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