Helo Upgrades Touted by Marine Corps Official.

• Author: Willingham, Stephen
• Position: Military helicopters; James F. Amos - Brief Article - Interview

In spite of their sophistication, U.S. military weapon platforms are "predictable," warned Marine Brig. Gen. James F. Amos, assistant deputy commandant for aviation. "Our enemies are just as smart as we are," he told a defense industry gathering in Quantico, Va.

He said the U.S. military forces need a "multi-dimensional maneuver capability set," to stay ahead of the competition. These capabilities include "dominant situation awareness, speed, timeliness and precision-strike ability," said Amos.

Today, 87 percent of Marine aviation ordnance consists of precision-guided weapons and munitions, he noted.

One key program in the Marine Corps today is to upgrade old helicopters and outfit them with modern war-fighting capabilities.

The plan is to rebuild 280 legacy helicopter systems--100 UH-1 Hueys and 180 AH-1 Cobras--at a cost of $9.4 billion. The H-1 upgrade program will produce "a fleet of zero time...