Seasprite with weapons

[phasselgren]

There is a picture of a Seaprite with weapons on www.navy.mil.nz/take-a-pic/other-images/helicopters/seasprite-weapons.htm.
Can anyone confirm if it´s a rocket pod or if it´s some type of other weapon? I have never seen rockets included in lists of weapons used on Seasprite.

[phil]

Looks more like a depth charge, I didn't realise we were still using them. Glen migh know more.

It's not a LAU 5002 as far as I can tell.

[kiwi]

I think this weapon was fitted to the ground display Sea Sprite at the Whenuapai Open Day . I do not know but guess it might be a depth charge

[FlyNavy]

Highlighted pod looks like rockets to me but now that I see the detail of the 'depth charge' photo perhaps it is not a rocket pod. I have not seen the aircraft in question. Difficult to tell from the Seasprite on deck photo. Problem with looking at only one photo with no other input.
Phil.

[Calum]

It's a MK 11 Mod 3 Depth charge

[FlyNavy]

Calum, Would any SeaSprite RAN or RNZN carry unguided rockets?
Phil.

[phasselgren]

Thanks for the help all of you.

I also want to add to Phil´s question. Is the Maverick the only weapon that has been inherited from from the Skyhawks or Macchis? In it´s role as a protector of the frigates I would assume that rockets and cannons sometimes can be more useful than the Maverick.

[phil]

As far as I know the sprite is not cleared for CRV7 rockets.

It has an M60D machine gun, no way to fit anything bigger as far as guns go.

The Maverick hasn't exactly been inherited from the Skyhawks. The Sprites had maverick capability before we disbanded the ACF. The Mavericks on the sprites are not the same type used on the A4s, they are a hybrid called the AGM-65D(NZ).

[Calum]

sinbad said:

Calum, Would any SeaSprite RAN or RNZN carry unguided rockets?
Phil.

Nope.

[Calum]

quote author=phasselgren board=Postwar thread=1176484214 post=1176533672]Thanks for the help all of you.

I also want to add to Phil´s question. Is the Maverick the only weapon that has been inherited from from the Skyhawks or Macchis? .[/quote]

Even the mavericks weren’t inherited from the Skyhawk. The Sea Sprite uses the AGM-65D Maverick. The A-4's used the AGM-65B/G's.

phasselgren said:

In it´s role as a protector of the frigates I would assume that rockets and cannons sometimes can be more useful than the Maverick

You're correct. The USN is moving away from a large helicopter ASM (penguin) to a smaller weapon (hellfire) they've realised that there isn't much call for a weapon of the size of the Maverick/Penguin on a Helicopter. In this repsect the RNZN and RAN are kinda still fighting last century’s war.

Problems are the limited range of the Maverick (~12 nm at altitude, much shorter at lower altitudes) and penguin (~15nm at altitude put a slow moving helicopter well inside the range of modern short-medium range SAM's.

Plus on an aircraft like a Seasprite the range (of the aircraft) is so short (60-100nm) that the helicopter ship is usually well within range of the surface to surface missiles most warships carry (not the RNZN’s though). I certainly would not like to go up against any even moderately armed surface ship in a Seasprite with a maverick.(That the Te Kaha’s aircraft managed to get close enough to an HMAS ANZAC to fire their missiles then escape was probably a combination of skill and luck on their behalf along with very poor tactics from ANZAC. IIRC ANZAC is now fitted with the evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) (as opposed to the original Sea Sparrow) therefore the Sea Sprite would certainly be well within the range of ESSM. (ESSM range is about 20nm). If was ANZAC’s captain I’d be very embarrassed. ;D

The most import role a Seasprite can fill in a medium-high threat environment is to provide over the horizon targeting information to the ship. So it can fire its Harpoons from 65nm-120nm away.

Hellfire is good weapon for lightly armed patrol boats, suicide bombers in boats and fast speedboats (ie Iranian Style Boghammers) because you can carry 4 or so of them on your Seahawk and therefore can engage more targets.

Another trend is the increasing use of .50 cal guns in small ships helicopter. The RN has put them in their Lynxes patrolling the Gulf. The USN also have a .50 cal fit for their Seahawks. This gun is allows the helicopter protecting boarding parties to stand off at longer range giving them more time to react to an RPG attack and more stopping power if they need to engage suicide bombers.

Sorry for rambling on but this stuff kinda interests me :-)