[Webstral]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

The limitations on the Harriers’ combat radii and ordnance would be one of the themes of planning creatively. They have shorter legs and carry a lighter load than bomber/attack aircraft of the USN. The USN isn’t available in my make-believe scenario because other operations have soaked up the available fleet carriers. The Europeans are on their own for this one in terms of carriers.

I absolutely agree that ADA would be a serious problem for rotary wing assets. Getting around this problem would be one of the themes of the story. How do you plan your missions and use your assets such that risks are minimized while important targets are damaged, neutralized, or destroyed when the weapons you have available for the job are not at all the ones you’d like to be using?

Thanks for the reference, CA. It seems that the CRV-7 might be suitable for attacking trains, rail yards, factories (under certain conditions or with a huge weight of fire), and other links in the supply chain that might not enjoy the highest level of protection.

The operating assumption is that the attackers enjoy something close to air supremacy because the defending air force has been shot down, grounded for damage or lack of spares, or (in a few cases) destroyed in their shelters by assets that are no longer available for further air action.