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Today, I finally read the "Time" magazine article about the V-22 Osprey, which has now been deployed to Iraq. While reading the article I saw that the CH-46 was mentioned. The author mentioned the fact that the CH-46 had become obsolete. I wondered why it had become obsolete. So, I looked up the CH-46. From what I read at Wikipedia the CH-46 seemed to be a pretty good helicopter that did all of the combat things the Osprey is now supposed to do without the problems the Osprey is having. The CH-46 can actually do more than the Osprey in that it can definitely be flown at night. There has been very little night testing of the Osprey. My first thought was, if the CH-46 already does what the Osprey is supposed to do with less problems why not just keep making the CH-46. In addition, it seems the CH-46 will be used until 2014.
I think I might know why certain people decided to make the Osprey instead of just keeping the CH-46 and maybe updating it a little bit. However, it seems like the CH-46 should have been continued and any money spent should have just been used to update the CH-46. Even in terms of "vertical takeoff and landing and short takeoff and landing capability" the CH-46 had those capabilities. I understand things become obsolete, but it seems like there was very little reason to replace the CH-46.
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