Back in the later 1930 when tha Boeing B-17A bomber first came out (Not the actual B-17 used during WWII by the way), they tried to "up gun" the Bomber by putting a "tub" in the floor allowing a Machine gun to be placed there and a gunner to lay down and fire the weapon. Well, they quickly found out that due to the eratic motion of the aircraft (all over the place actually, it didn't fly very straight and level until some upgrades were made), the gunner generally lost his cookies and basically was a casualty due to air sickness way before the aircraft got to the combat zone. They also tried a "periscope" set-up that made it even worse. Thus one of the suggestion was made to put a "ball Turrent" in the B-17's Belly, along with other upgrades like a bigger tail section so a man could sit back there and be the "Tail Gunner"...All these leading up to the B-17 D and E models.

 

So, if somebody had done their homework...they would have already found out that Video Camera looking down and sideways was going to discombloberate the gunner.

 

Oh well, we're always re-learning something somebody else has already "been there, done that and Got the T-shirt" for.

 

Anyways. Ooh Rah Marines, kick A and take names.

Nomenclature correction:

 

The V-22 IS an "assault aircraft."  So are the CH-53, CH-46, etc.  Assault aircraft, or more properly "assault support" aircraft, carry troops to assault an objective.

 

I think what the article meant was "attack" aircraft, which are the aircraft built expressly for shooting things.