If I was a passenger, I would be asking “Where the F are you dropping me that you need that much firepower?” 
Test and adjust depending on the answer. 
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So there really isn’t just a ton of info out there about the DAP that I’ve found. We only have I believe 16 of them, so I’m not too surprised that the info isn’t as in the wild. The best I’ve found is from interviews with retired Gen. Clay Hutmacher (see here for bio), who was a DAP pilot in addition to all the other cool stuff he did. The simplest answer was that the lift Blackhawks cruised about 20 knots faster than an AH-6 can go, so they needed an organic guns capacity to support the lift when using Blackhawks. There was apparently plenty of politics involved in the 160th having any kind of gunships at all.
As far as Colombia goes, my Spanish is way out of practice and there are limited English sources. With that said, the Colombians acquired UH-60’s to replaced/supplement their UH-1 fleet. Some young officers and crew chiefs recognized the unused capabilities the External Stores Support System (ESSS, ie the wings) had. Colombia had the same issue we had in Vietnam with the Huey. The gunships which were supposed to protect the slicks, was slower and had less performance margin. The Blackhawk could fly rings around the UH-1’s even with 4 19 shot rocket pods loaded up, so it started out as a dedicated rocket artillery bird. They decided, that was a) expensive and b) limiting in the close support roll. Testing with M-134’s and then GAU-19’s followed, with the Colombians deciding on the .50 for reaching out and touching someone. Apparently in there somewhere, the door gunners decided they wanted the heavy stuff too. Colombia apparently reached out to the US about the DAP, and acquiring tech for their Harpies. We told them no, and they proceeded to go their own way quite successfully.
Colombian apparently for at least a little bit was interested in the Eurocopter Tiger, but felt that the Harpy gave them plenty of capability without the drawbacks of a dedicated attack chopper. I don’t know if they looked at the Apache or Soviet equipment, but if they did they came to the same conclusion.
My understanding is like the DAP these aren’t lift birds at all. If I can find the pictures again, there isn’t any room in the back with two GAU-19’s, door gunners, and the crew chief.
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Great explanation. I didn’t realize the UH-60 was faster than the AH-6, but makes perfect sense.
Going that direction for the Columbians makes good sense too. I’d imagine the money spent on weaponized UH-60’s is a drop in the bucket compared to birds like the Tiger or Apache, and being able to source airframes and components must be much easier.
Dedicated attack helicopters are pretty high up on the Maslow’s hierarchy of military needs pyramid, IMO. I’d go so far as to call them a luxury up until a certain point, especially compared to the OH and UH birds.
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We need this in dcs … an American high tech equivalent of the mi8 
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A magic fairy let me talk to my dog. I asked how his life is. He said “rough”.
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I snort-laughed so hard I was discovered reading Mudspike at work. Thanks.
Edit: this is just too precious… I told this joke (in English too!) to my son and he snort laughed exactly the same way! 
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When your Dog is taking you for a walk, and you almost get away…
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LOLOLOL! yeah agree with that.
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Straight cold pimpin’, what else?
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We call that trafficking nowadays, bro.
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Damn… Norwegian and Swedes are British too, evidently! 
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And Australians
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Aren’t those the descendants of 19th century Englands’ refused, shipped off to a penal colony for terrible crimes such as stealing a bread or soliciting on the wrong streetcorner?
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I remember when we made stuff here.
(Chanting to self: don’t get political don’t get political 
)
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