BenHamish wrote:Sorry to revive an old thread, but how bulletproof are Kiowas and Blackhawks?
Really, are they that invulnerable that the pilots aren't afraid of small arms?
I'm guessing you are asking about the helicopters in PR, not their real-world counterparts?
If so, I'm not aware of what the PR values are or how much damage they sustain from different weapon hits. But the real aircraft are not going to be an easy thing to bring down, let alone seriously damage.
BenHamish wrote:Just done a little Googleing, unsurprisingly details on the UH-60's armour were pretty scant, but the impression I get is that critical components can take moderate .50 damage, but an RPG to the cockpit/engines or fuel cells would take one down.
Interesting read. But it doesn't mention RPG hits. I accept that an RPG may just punch a hole through somewhere with redundant control systems (or similar non-vital equipment), but is it possible to model certain parts as damage multipliers?
First, from what I understand (and what other staff has stated in this topic and others) is that the helicopters in PR either do not have or are not capable of having the wide variety of "hit boxes" that would be necessary to simulate correct strong- and weak-points of the aircraft. We're talking about literally hundreds of different areas that would need separate sections of hit detection.
Also of note, the UH-60 family of aircraft can still operate on a single engine, more than enough to RTB as long as other critical systems permit the pilot to maintain control. Vital components of the UH-60 are also protected by internal armored panels, most of which can withstand up to 23mm projectiles. Other unprotected systems are often used in duplicates, so if one fails there is a backup. Regarding the cockpit, both crew members have armored seats. In general, the UH-60 can withstand a shitload of damage before being downed, but it is possible that a single rifle round and a one-in-a-million shot could bring it down too.
An RPG round, depending on the warhead and where it impacts, might or might not bring the aircraft down. In the "Black Hawk Down" scenario, what brought the main Blackhawk down was the tail rotor damage, which will immediately cause most helicopters to enter an uncontrollable spin. But even heavy small-arms fire could have had the same effect in the event it damages the rear rotor enough to off-balance it.
Examples of what might actually cause an RPG to bring down a UH-60?
* An OG-7V warhead bursting inside the aircraft, permitting fragmentation to kill/injure the crew or cause critical damage to avionics, flight controls, or other vital components
* The explosion causing distraction to the pilot, in addition to fear/shock of being hit, leading to the pilot losing control of the aircraft
* The force of the blast being sufficient enough to temporarily destabilize the aircraft and force it into colliding with another object/terrain
* The explosion removing one or more rotor blades, causing enough instability and/or inability to maintain flight
And in most of those cases, the pilot will still have control long enough to make a landing.
In general though, an RPG hit or near-miss against a Blackhawk in most cases is going to cause some damage but most likely not enough to drop it out of the sky.
As for even being able to hit a UH-60 in flight, or ANY flying helicopter in general, it would be a very rare chance to score a hit. Even against a perfectly hovering helicopter, chances of hitting one with an RPG-7 beyond 100-200m is slim because, like it or not, RPG-7 rockets are not the most accurate. I've fired them first-hand, and they often zig-zag like a *****. Maybe not as bad as an FFAR, but they sure as hell aren't a precision weapon.
If you do happen to score that lucky shot though, don't expect it to suddenly fall from the sky. In my opinion, PR is being very lenient towards RPG users when it comes to aircraft damage.
