Ukraine has demonstrated the vulnerability of attack helicopters conducting line-of-sight attacks at the front. Becoming an indirect fires platform is a method to survive near the battlefield. Or near committees looking for budget cuts.
In the Winter War of 2022, I read that helicopter pilots would fly low, pull up, and fire their unguided rockets on a ballistic path to extend their range and avoid ground fire. American Apaches in Iraq carry Israeli Spike non-line of sight guided missiles:
U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters are now flying in Iraq carrying Israeli-made Spike NLOS (Non-Line Of Sight) missiles. This appears to be the first time Army AH-64s have deployed to an active conflict zone with these weapons. Spike NLOS offers significantly greater reach against targets on land and at sea, as well as enhanced employment flexibility, over the AGM-114 Hellfires and AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) that are also in the arsenal of Army Apaches.
Hiding behind the mountain (while requiring a different platform to identify the distant target) is better than line-of-sight shooting that exposed the helicopter to enemy line-of-sight fires.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
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NOTE: The AP image is from Business Insider.
