AN-2 not so obsolete after all?

[wwrw2007]

Interesting story

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/08/29 ... n-yet.html

[Punisher05]

Did...did I just read about a potentially nuclear-armed AN-2?

We've taken a step through the looking glass here, gents.

[mazdaP5]

Time to deploy the Tigercats to the front. Just to be on the safe side.

[JohnB]

From my USAF days at Griffiss and the Rome Air Development Center, I recall a program to test a captured AN-2 (this being long before the end of the Cold War when you couldn't buy one from Trade-A-Plane ads) being tested to assess its radar reflectivity for just this type of situation.

As usual, someone's on top of the situation, even if they don't tell the media.

[sandiego89]

Maybe a few Hueys should be deployed as intercept platforms....

[marine air]

They would be used to deliver up to 16 paratroopers per plane. They would have a relatively low signature because of their piston engine. Also, They wold only be used for short distances, maybe a hundred miles or so. They have numerous landing sites, hay fields, or straight places on any interstate. I could see them unleashing hundreds of specs ops dudes releasing mayhem and chaos .
The nuclear option doesn't sound believable. Too slow, and low , more likely chemical, biological , and psy ops warfare.

[JohnB]

And remember that just because it's fabric covered (in large part), doesn't make it invisible.
The engine being a piston unit has nothing to do with its radar return, the fact remains it's a large lump of metal in front.
And yes, it would be a great special ops insertion aircraft.
Also, remember that NK bought civil Hughes 500s on the international market because South Korea had some OH-6s. A quick paint job and you have another insertion ship.

[Zac Yates]

Maybe a few Hueys should be deployed as intercept platforms....

I was thinking the USMC Venoms would probably be deployed on Anti-Colt duty!

[Russ Matthews]

I remember a similar topic during one hangar flying session at Chino long ago. The issue, one person explained, wasn't that the AN-2 was invisible to radar, but that it flew so low and slow the doppler threat analysis would classify it as a truck.

This was 25-30 years ago, so hopefully they've refined the technology (if it ever really needed adjusting) by now.

[Lon Moer]

This is what is deployed by our side;
USAF B-1B's, JSDF F-15's and USMC F-35B's.

[K5DH]

That big spinning propeller on the nose of the An-2 is a great radar reflector.

[astixjr]

The AN-2 will never be obsolete! It's the only stealth crop duster/parachute plane/commuter airliner ever built. It's a biplane. It's got a tail wheel. It's got a round engine. What more can you ask of an airplane? As far as it being much of a threat to our forces, I would think that by now our folks have figured out how to spot it. If one does get through our radar defenses you still would have the option of spotting it visually and in that case, you simply turn and run away from it.

[Avnut]

The website The Warzone at The Drive did a story on this too.

One Of North Korea's Most Dangerous Weapons Is The Ancient An-2 Biplane
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/13 ... -2-biplane

[lucky52]

How about some 50' poles with a couple of cables across the border or at least the most probable crossing points.Grey poles and grey wires are hard to see.