Battleland

Air Warrior, R.I.P.

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Army photo

An RAH-66 Comanche prototype.

The Army aviator who helped kill the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter – a $40 billion program to build 650 scout choppers that was put out of its misery in 2004 after the Pentagon spent $8 billion for zero operational aircraft — has died.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that retired Colonel Robert McDaniel died Feb. 9  at the age of 88 (it also reported that the two-seat RAH-66 was designed to replace the 14-seat UH-1 Huey, but the obit otherwise looks solid).

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McDaniel / Army

McDaniel became an “early and persistent critic” of the Comanche, the Post said, calling it “unnecessary, poorly designed and ill-suited for almost any kind of warfare.”

Thank God that’s no longer the standard.

Godspeed, Colonel McDaniel.