Different Army Aviation

The Johnson-McConnell agreement of 1966 meant that the US Army relinquished ownership of tactical airlift capability, in exchange for the US Air Force relinquishing their claim to most rotary winged aircraft.

If this agreement does not occur how does aviation develop for the US Army? Would we see the introduction of the OV - 10 and possibly the A -10 into Army service? Would this hinder the development of the helicopter gunship?

It's quite possible: the Army did evaluate the A-4, Fiat G. 91, F-5, the Kestrel (Harrier predecessor), all for the CAS role. They felt-with some justification, that the AF was not interested in that mission. There are some today who are calling for the A-10 to be transferred to the Army if the AF succeeds in retiring them.

Its always been an area that has interested me and it would be interesting to see how the Army retaining a fixed wing capability would impact strategy and tactics etc. First of all where would the Army's perview end and the Air Force's take over for instance.

You can make some case that because of the agreement, the Army has tried to apply the helicopter as a solution to problems where a fixed wing aircraft might serve better..... If you had one available.... If your only tool is a hammer, you treat everything as if it were a nail.

Might the Army have gone in with the Marines on the Osprey? Or their own version? Or, might they have gone other fixed wing or hybrid routes:

• CAS(as suggested above, or a purpose built Spectre)
• Observation
• Forward Air Control
• STOL Transport - ala Buffalo

Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was envisaged as an armed

Grumman OV-1 Mohawk was envisioned as as armed FAC/LARA airframe; the Army also was procuring C-7/C-8 transports before the USAF quashed it.

Army A-10s would make a lot of sense, but the USAF would fight it tooth and nail.

Best,

Would the original agreement apply to drones?

*edit*
I'm thinking of larger, remotely guided, or even semi-autonomous battlefield supply craft - ammunition luggers, than can land in a hot zone. The kind of situation where a piloted helicopter is at extreme risk.