ROTARY WING (Military Weapons)

Apache (AH-64)

The AH-64 is the US Army’s principal gunship/antitank helicopter. It was the winner in the 1973-76 competition for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH), beating out the Bell YAH-63 entry. The AH-64 is intended primarily for the antitank role, with an all-weather/night operating capability. It is relatively fast and maneuverable, carries a large antiarmor weapons load, has reduced radar and Infrared (IR) signatures, is damage-resistant against most small and medium antiaircraft artillery, and is crashworthy. The four-blade main rotor assembly consists of a hollow mast with an inertia-welded nickel-steel driveshaft. Each blade has five stainless-steel spars, steel leading edge, stainless-steel skin, and composite trailing edge. The blade design features a high-lift airfoil section and swept tips; the 20° sweep at the tips delays compressibility and improves the stability of both advancing and retreating blades.
The blades are linked to the hub arms with 22-ply-laminate strap packs. Two lead-lag dampers are fitted to each hub arm, and the flapping hinge is offset to 4% of blade radius to augment control power. The blades can be folded for transport by large cargo aircraft.
The antitorque rotor has two two-blade teetering rotors with a relatively low tip speed, which reduces tail rotor noise, and a 4,500-hour fatigue life. The titanium fork assembly carries one set of blades in elastomeric bearings above the plane of the other and at a 60°/120° angle. The tailplane had originally been mounted at the top of the tail. After tests, the broad, all-moving surface was relocated to near the base of the pylon. It adjusts automatically to provide a level attitude during Nap of the Earth (NOE) flight.
Primary flight control is by hydraulic actuation; a Sperry Fly-by-Wire (FEW) is provided as a backup. Stabilization is by the Sperry Digital Automatic Stabilization Equipment (DASE). Manufacturer McDonnell Douglas Helicopters claims that the AH-64 can move laterally and to the rear at speeds up to 45 kts (52 mph; 83 km/h). Maximum load factors are +3.5 g/—0.5 g; the positive load factor is reduced to 2.4 g with a 3,350-lb (1,520kg) weapons load.
The two turboshaft engines are shoulder-mounted on the fuselage behind the main rotor mast. Each engine is fitted with a “black hole” passive IR exhaust suppressor.
The fuselage is designed to be crash-worthy in vertical crashes of up to 42-ft/ sec descent; the crew compartment is further protected by progressive deformation of the rest of the airframe, which absorbs additional energy. The entire air-frame is designed to be invulnerable to 12.7-mm rounds. In addition, most vital components can sustain hits from 23-mm rounds and continue flying to a safe landing.
The pilot and copilot/gunner sit in tandem, Kevlar-armored seats surrounded by boron armor and under a heavily framed canopy. The canopy frame is designed to act as a roll cage, and the glazing between the crew members is impact-resistant; the glazing is not bal-listically tolerant. The pilot is in the rear seat, which is 19 in (480 mm) above the copilot/gunner’s. The front seat has a full set of flight controls that are typically stowed under the front sight.
The landing gear is fixed with the main, trailing-arm struts below the pilot’s position and the tail gear extending beyond the tail rotor pylon. Detachable stub wings are fitted to the fuselage below the main rotor mast; each wing has two weapons pylons.
The core of the avionics fit is the Martin Marietta Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Pilot’s Night Vision Sensor (TADS/PNVS) linked to the Honeywell Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System (IHADSS) worn by both crew members. The turrets for the TADS and PNVS systems are fitted in the nose of the Apache. The upper PNVS turret contains a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor directly linked to the IHADSS and traverses with the user’s head movements. Azimuth range is +/-900; elevation is +20°/-45°. The lower TADS turret is divided vertically; the left half has direct vision optics with two fields of view (4° and 18°) above a daylight TV with 0.9° and 4° fields ofview. The right half has a FLIR sensor. TADS is also fitted with a laser spot tracker and laser designator. Azimuth coverage is +/-1200, elevation is +30°/-60°. TADS imagery is relayed to the copilot/gunner through an optical relay “tube” that resembles a small console; it has both Head-Down and Head-Up Displays (HDD/ HUD).
The three principal weapons systems on the Apache are the McDonnell Douglas Helicopters M230 30-mm Chain Gun, Rockwell AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided antitank missiles, and Hydra 2.75-in (70mm) rocket pods. The Chain Gun is fitted in a turret below the cockpit; turret traverse is +/—100°, elevation is + 110/—60°. Ammunition is fed from a 1,200-round pallet fitted under the main rotor assembly; operational experience has shown that a 380-round ammunition load is best. The stub pylons can carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles, although a load of eight is more typical. As an alternative load, up to four 19-rocket Hydra pods can be carried.
To improve its self-defense capabilities, the Apache was tested in November 1987 with Loral Aeroneutronic AIM-9 Sidewinder Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM) fitted on stub wingtip rails. The usual AAM fit, however, is the Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS) adaptation of the General Dynamics FIM-92 Stinger shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. Shorts (UK) Starstreak and Matra Mistral air-to-air and AGM-122 Sidearm antiradar missiles are also compatible.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Apache’s initial operational capability was in 1985. Its first flight was on September 30, 1975, and its first production rollout was in January 1984; the 500th production aircraft was rolled out on September 15, 1989. The first squadron of Apaches stationed in Europe arrived in August 1987 as part of
REFORGER ’87. A total of 975 AH-64A
Apaches had been planned for procurement through FY1992, equipping 27 attack helicopter battalions. With the defense drawdowns following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the figure was again reduced under former Defense Secretary Cheney.
Since its service entry in 1985, the Apache has been the most advanced combat helicopter in service as well as plagued with reliability shortcomings in several key areas. Several studies conducted by the General Accounting Office (GAO) found many faults with the Apache, both mechanical and with its electronics.
Several countries have purchased the Apache: Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

VARIANTS •

Multistage Improvement
Program (MSIP), AH-64B, AH-64C/D
Longbow Apache (mast-mounted millimeter-wave radar), Naval Apache (shipboard/not funded).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

In December 1989, 11 Apaches flew 200 hours of missions in support of the US military operation Just Cause to remove Panamanian General Noriega from power; 66% of the flying time was at night. According to the US Army, three AH-64s were damaged by ground fire and one aircraft took 32 7.62-mm hits, but they were back in service within 24 hours. The Army reported that Hellfire missiles used against fixed targets, including General Noriega’s headquarters, were very accurate and effective.
In August 1990, Apaches from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) were sent to Saudi Arabia as part of the US response to the Iraqi invasion and annexation of Kuwait. Accounts of their degree of readiness varied from 70% to 90%.
Eight Apaches were used to attack early-warning radar sites in western Iraq on a round-trip of 950 nm (1,094 mi; 1,759 km) that opened Operation Desert Storm’s air war. The mission, which cleared an attack lane for precision strikes, achieved complete surprise and within two minutes had scored 15 hits with Hellfire missiles.
Additional reports during Desert Storm suggest that the Apache performed very well, whether alone or when flown in concert with the A-10. When the ground war was launched, Apaches led the 101st Airborne’s airlift into Iraq. During the ground assaults against Iraq’s Republican Guard formations, some AH-64s hit and destroyed several tanks with a single load of eight Hellfires. Overall, Apaches fired 2,876 Hellfires during Desert Storm. The 4th Battalion of the 229th Aviation Brigade was credited with 50 tanks in a single battle.
Serviceability reportedly remained high, and the Apache ended the campaign with an enhanced reputation.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER McDonnell Douglas
Helicopters CREW 2 (pilot, copilot/gunner) ENGINES 2 General Electric T700-GE-701 or -701C turboshaft max power 1,695 shp (-701) or 1,890
shp (-701C) each
internalfuel capacity
376 US gal (1,422 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 10,760 Ib (4,881 kg)
primary mission gross weight
14,445 Ib (6,553 kg) with 3,350 Ib (1,520 kg) weapons load and 2,500 Ib (1,134 kg) offuel
17,650 Ib (8,006kg)
ferry mission 21,000 Ib (9,525 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 48 ft (14.63 m) length 48 ft 2 in (14.68 m)
height top of rotor: 12 ft 7 in
(3.84 m) top of air data sensor: 15 ft 31/? in (4.66 m) disc area 1,809.5 ft2 (168.1 m2)
PERFORMANCE
(Army Hot day = 95° F/(35° C at
4,000 ft/1,220m)
speed max
clean: 164 kts (189 mph;
304km/h)
Army Hot day: 147-155 kts (169-178 mph;
272-287 km/h) Euro theater, 2,000 ft
(610 m) at 70° F (21° C): 148-153 kts (170176 mph; 274-284
km/h)
econ cruise
sea level, standard day: 128 kts (147 mph; 237
km/h) Army Hot day: 119 kts
(137 mph; 221 km/h)
rate of climb max
standard day: 3,200 ft/
min (975 m/min)
Army Hot day: 2,750 ft/
min (783 m/min)
max, vertical
standard day: 2,460 ft/
min (750 m/min) Army Hot day: 1,450 ft/ min (442 m/min)
ceiling standard day
2 engines: 21,000 ft
(6,400 m)
1 engine: 10,800 ft (3,292
m)
Army Hot day
2 engines: 10,300 ft (3,139 m)
1 engine: 6,400 ft (1,951
m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect, 14,445 Ib (6,553kg)
standard day: 15,000 ft (4,572 m)
Army Hot day: 10,200 ft
(3,109 m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect, 14,445Ib (6,553 kg)
standard day: 11,500ft (3,505 m)
Army Hot day: 7,000 ft
(2,134m) range internal fuel: 260 nm
(300 mi; 482 km) ferry: 918 nm (1,057 mi;
1,701 km)
armament 1 M230 Chain Gun 30mm cannon in belly turret with 1,200 rounds 4 wing pylons for up to 16 Hellfire antitank missiles or 76 2.75-in (70-mm) rockets in 4 pods
and 4 FIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles

Sioux/Scout (OH-13)

The OH-13 (also known as the Bell 47) is one of the most widely used helicopters in history. It is a two-seat, light utility helicopter that has been adapted for use in the wire-laying, liaison, medical evacuation, training, and Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) roles.
The OH-13 has a simple two-blade main rotor with a stabilizer bar mounted below the main rotor plane and at a 90° angle to it. Some variants have enclosed cabins, but most have a Plexiglas bubble canopy and an open lattice tailboom with an antitorque rotor on the right side. Twin-skid landing gear with two retracting wheels is standard, but some naval versions have pontoons for water operations. Medical evacuation versions carry two stretcher pods, one on either side of the cabin.

DEVELOPMENT •

The OH-13′s initial operational capability was in 1946. It is no longer in US military service or production but is still in service in many other countries. Over 6,000 had been produced when production ceased in 1973, a military-helicopter production run exceeded in the West only by the UH-1 Iro-quois (Huey). The OH-13 was also license-built in Italy by Agusta, in Great Britain by Westland, and in Japan by Kawasaki.
The aircraft was operating in the military services of about 25 nations, mostly in Africa and Latin America in the 1990s.

VARIANTS •

YR-13/Bell 47A (prototype), H-13B/Bell 47D, H-13D/Bell
47D-1 (two-seat), H-13E/OH-13E/Bell 47D-1 (three-seat), XH-13F (experimental), H-13G/OH-13G/Bell 47G, H/OH/ UH-13H/Bell 47G-2, H/UH-13J (USAF),
H/OH-13K/Bell 47G-3 (converted
H-13H), TH-13L (USN trainer), TH-13M (trainer), TH-13N (trainer), UH-13P
(USN utility), HH-13Q, (USCG SAR), UH-13R, OH-13S/Bell 47G-3B, TH-13T/ Bell 47G-3B-1 (US Army instrument trainer), HTL-3/Bell 47E (USN/Brazil trainer), HTL-7/Bell 47J Ranger (USN, USMC, and USCG), Agusta-Bell 47J-3
Super Ranger (Agusta-built shipboard
ASW), Scout (British-built).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Used extensively in combat by US forces in the Korean War and by French forces in Algeria.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Bell Helicopter
CREW 1 ENGINES
H-13H: 1 Lycoming VO^35 piston OH-13S: 1 Lycoming TVO^35-A1A piston
maxpower H-13H: 200 hp
OH-13S: 260 hp
WEIGHTS
empty H-13H: 1,564 Ib (710
OH&S: l,9361b (879
kg)
max takeoff H-13H: 2,450 Ib (1,112
kg)
OH-13S: 2,850 Ib (1,293 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam H-13H: 35 ft 1 in (10.69
m)
OH-13S: 37 ft 2 in (11.35
m)
length H-13H: 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m)
OH-13S: 32 ft 7 in (9.93 m)
height 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
disc area H-13H: 966.1 ft* (89.8 m2)
OH-13S: 1,089.1 ft2
(101.2m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed H-13H: 87 kts (100 mph; 161 km/h) OH-13S: 91 kts (105 mph; 169 km/h)
cruise speed 74 kts ( 85 mph; 137 km/ h)
climb rate H-13H: 770 ft/min (235 m/min)
OH-13S: 1,190 ft/min
(363 m/min) ceiling H-13H: 13,200 ft (4,023 m)
OH-13S: 18,000 ft (5,486
m)
hovering ceiling in and out of ground
effect
OH-13S: 18,000 ft (5,486 m)
range H-13H: 261 nm (300 mi; 483km)
OH-13S: 281 nm (324 mi; 521 km)

Defender (MD 500/530)

The MD 500MD is a light, multipurpose helicopter adapted for observation, scout, special-operations, antiarmor attack, and Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) roles. It is based on the earlier OH-6A Cayuse and its commercial derivative the Hughes 500. The Defender is an improved military variant of the Model 500 with uprated engine, T-tail, and heavier armament; it is the basis for all subsequent McDonnell Douglas scout helicopters.
The 500MD features a five-blade, fully articulated main rotor with cross-connected flap and feather straps. The slender tailboom extends aft from the roof of the egg-shaped fuselage pod to a narrow, swept fin; the fin extends below the boom and is fitted with a small tail skid.
The two-blade, antitorque rotor is mounted at the end of the boom on the left-hand side; a four-blade “quiet” rotor can also be fitted. The offset-V tail of the OH-6 has been replaced by a narrow horizontal stabilizer at the top of the fin; the stabilizer has tapered leading edges and small endplate fins.
The Allison turboshaft is carried behind the crew compartment, receiving air through a small intake on the cabin roof and exhausting through a nozzle at the aft end of the fuselage pod below the boom. The crew cabin features a glazed nose for maximum forward visibility. The 530 series (and the 500MG) have a pointed nose for streamlining. Engine access is through clamshell doors at the rear of the fuselage pod. The parallel-skid landing gear has internal oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers.
Variants of the 500MD have different armament configurations on detachable pylons. The Scout version is armed with a 7.62-mm minigun or Chain Gun pod, rocket pods, or 40-mm grenade launchers. The 500MD/TOW mounts a
two-round TOW antitank missile launcher on each pylon. The 500MD ASW carries one or two lightweight ASW torpedoes between the skids.

DEVELOPMENT •

The SOOMD’s initial operational capability was in 1976. It is produced primarily for export. The US Army purchased approximately 30 in the mid-1980s for 160th Aviation Group, a commando unit; additional orders brought the Army’s total to at least 54.
Production of military variants was licensed to Kawasaki in Japan and Korean Air Lines in South Korea; civilian variants (including some purchased for military use) were also license-built by Breda Nardi of Italy.
Five Chilean MD530Fs were sold to a “Chilean sardine fishing concern” in 1988-89 but later discovered to be in Chilean Army service. When the transfer was revealed, the United States placed an embargo on spare parts.
The MD 500 and its variants have been in use in 17 foreign nations, primarily in Asia and Latin America. North Korea acquired at least 60 of the helicopters during the mid-1980s, reportedly through US dealers.

VARIANTS •

OH-6A Cayuse, 500MD
Scout Defender, 500MD ASW, 500MD/ TOW Defender, 500MD/MMS-TOW,
500MD Defender II, MD500E, NH-500E
(Italian Army), MD530F Lifter, 530MG Defender, 500MG Defender, M/AH-6
“Litde Bird,” Nightfox (night vision equipment) ,NOTAR.

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

An undisclosed number of Task Force 160 “Little Birds” were deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Storm.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER McDonnell Douglas CREW 2 (pilot, copilot) + 6 troops
ENGINES
500MD/TOW: 1 Allison 250-C20B turboshaft
530MG: 1 Allison 250-C30 turboshaft
max power 500MD/TOW: 420 shp (derated to 375 shp)
530MG: 650 shp (derated
to 425 shp)
internalfuel capacity
63 US gal (240 liters)
optional auxiliary tank
21 US gal (79.5 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 500MD/TOW: 1,976 Ib
(896 kg) 530MG: 1,591 Ib (722 kg) max takeoff 500MD/TOW: 3,000 Ib
(1,361 kg)
530MG: 3,550 Ib (1,610 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 500MD/TOW: 26 ft 4 in
(8.03 m) 530MG:27ft4in(8.33m) length 500MD/TOW 30 ft 10 in
(9.4 m)
530M: 32 ft 1 in (9.78 m)
height 500MD/TOW: 8 ft 8 in
(2.64 m)
530MG: to top of rotor head, 8 ft 7 in (2.62
m); to top of Mast-
Mounted Sight (MMS),
11 ft 2V2in (3.41m) disc area 500MD/TOW: 544.6 ft2 (50.6 m2)
530MG: 586.8 ft*
(54.5 m2)
PERFORMANCE
cruise speed 500MD/TOW: 119kts (137 mph; 221 km/h)
530MG: 135 kts (155
mph; 250 km/h) climb rate 500MD/TOW: 1,650ft/ min (503 m/min)
530MG: 2,100 ft/min
(640 m/min) 15,800 ft (4,815 m)
range 330 nm (380 mi; 611 km)
armament none integral to all
variants, but optional
armament includes: 7.62-mm and .50-cal
machine-gun pods 7.62-mm Chain Gun 7-tube or 12-tube 2.75-in
rocket pods Stinger air-to-air missiles 7.62-mm minigun 40-mm grenade launcher TOW antitank missiles

Cobra/TOW(AH-1E/F/G/P/Q/S)

The AH-1 Cobra is an attack helicopter designed for close air support and antitank missions. The Cobra series was de-
rived from the UH-1 Huey/Iroquois utility/transport helicopter, retaining the rotor, transmission, and engine in a completely redesigned fuselage. The manufacturer’s designation is Model 209 HueyCobra.
The standard Cobra/TOW is the AH-1F, a redesignation of the modernized AH-1S; earlier AH-1 aircraft are being either retired or upgraded to the AH-1F level. The two composite blades are linked to the main rotor hub by “door hinges,” creating a semirigid main rotor system.
The two-blade antitorque rotor is mounted on the starboard side of the tail pylon near the top. Short, slightly swept, horizontal stabilizers are midmounted on the fuselage approximately halfway between the engines and the tail rotor pylon.
The engine is mounted above the fuselage and behind the main rotor pylon. A cooled, plug-type, Infrared (IR) signature suppressor and cylindrical shroud is fitted to the engine exhaust.
The fuselage provides a minimal cross section (38 in; 0.99 m) with stub wings for carrying missiles, rocket packs, or gun pods, a nose turret with a 20-mm, 3-barrel Galling gun, and tandem seating for a gunner/copilot (forward) and pilot. The landing gear consists of parallel skids on spring struts.
The fire control system has a Teledyne Systems digital ballistic computer and Kaiser Head-Up Display (HUD). Other avionics include the Singer-Kearfott AN/ ASN-128 Doppler navigation system, E-Systems AN/APR-39 radar-warning receiver, Sanders AN/ALQ-144 IR counter-measuresjammer, and a GEC Avionics IS 03-004 low-airspeed air data sensor, which is mounted on an outrigger on the starboard side.
Targeting for the TOW requires the M65 Airborne TOW missile system with the primary sensors fitted in the nose-mounted Telescopic Sight Unit (TSU). The TSU has a traverse of 110° to either
side and an elevation range of -60°/+30°. Upgrades to the M65 include the Hughes Laser-Augmented Airborne TOW (LAAT) stabilized sight and the Rockwell AN/AAS-32 Airborne Laser
Tracker (ALT).
Weapons include a chin-mounted General Electric Universal Turret capable of accepting Gatling-type guns ranging in caliber from 7.62 mm to 30 mm. The turret traverses 110° to either side and has an elevation range of —50°/+21°. Gun movement and targeting are controlled by the TSU or by a Helmet Sight Subunit (HSS) worn by either the gunner/copilot or the pilot. The stub wings have four weapons stations for up to a total of eight TOW or four rocket or gun pods.
DEVELOPMENT • The AH-lG’s initial operational capability was in 1967. The prototype’s first flight was on September 7, 1965. Over 1,450 single-engine Cobra models were built. License production by Mitsui in Japan continues.
The C-NITE Cobra variant entered service with the 77th Aviation Brigade in
South Korea in 1990. Also in 1990,
Pakistan agreed to purchase 24 C-NITE kits.
VARIANTS • Bell Model 209, AH-1G
(US Army, USMC, Spain), AH-1Q (Improved Cobra Armament Program/ ICAP), YAH-1R (Improved Cobra Agility and Maneuverability/ICAM), YAH-1S,
AH-1S, AH-1P, AH-1E (US Army, Israel,
Japan), AH-1P (Enhanced Cobra Armament System/ECAS), AH-1F (US Army/
Army National Guard, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Thailand, South Korea), ARTI (Advanced Rotorcraft Technology Integration), C-FLEX (Cobra Fleet Life Extension), Z-16 (Spain).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Cobras have been used in combat by US forces in Vietnam, in Grenada, and in the December 1989 Operation Just Cause military ouster and capture of General Noriega. US Army Cobras were deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, and during Desert Storm AH-ls flew escort missions. A Cobra scored TOW hits on the lead vehicles in a 1,000-vehicle Iraqi column, blocking the rest of the force and leading to its capture or destruction.
Israeli Cobras have operated against Palestinian and Syrian targets in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley since 1982.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Bell-Textron CREW 2 (pilot, gunner)
ENGINES
AH-1G: 1 Avco Lycoming T53-L-13 turboshaft
AH-1S: 1 Avco Lycoming T53-L-703
turboshaft
max power AH-1G: 1,400 shp
AH-1S: 1,800 shp
internalfuel capacity
AH-1G: 268 US gal (1,014
liters)
AH-1S: 259 US gal (980 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty AH-1G: 6,073 Ib (2,735 kg) AH-1S: 6,598 Ib (2,993 kg) useful load AH-1G: 3,427 Ib (1,554 kg)
AH-1S: 3,402 Ib (1,543kg)
max takeoff AH-1G: 9,500 Ib (4,309 kg)
AH-1S: 10,000 Ib
(4,535 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 44 ft (13.41 m) length 44 ft 7 in (13.59m)
height AH-1G: 13 ft 6 in (4.12 m) AH-1S: 13 ft 5 in (4.09m) disc area 1,520.5 ft2 (141.3 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed AH-1G: 149 kts (172 mph; 277 km/h)
AH-1S: 123 kts (141 mph; 195 km/h) with TOW
climb rate AH-1G: 1,375 ft/min (419 m/min)
AH-1S: 1,620 ft/min (494 m/min)
ceiling AH-1G: 11,400 ft (3,475 m) AH-1S: 12,200ft (3,720m)
hover in ground effect
AH-1G: 9,900 ft (3,015 m) AH-1S: 12,200 ft (3,720 m)
range AH-1G: 325 nm (374 mi;
602 km) AH-1S: 274 nm (315 mi; 507km)
armament, AH-1G
M28 nose turret with 2
GAU-2B/A 7.62-mm
miniguns w2M12940-mm
grenade launchers or 1 minigun and 1 Ml29 and stub wing pylons for 4
Ml 57 pods with 76 2.75-in (70-mm)
rockets or 4 M157 pods with 28
rockets or 2 M18E1 minigun pods or M35 20-mm automatic
cannon system armament, AH-1S
M197 3-barrel 20-mm
Catling gun in nose
turret
up to 8 Hughes BMG-71
TOW antitank missiles or 4 LAU-68A/A (7-tube)
2.75-in rocket pods or up to 4 LAU-61A/A
(19-tube) 2.75-in rocket
pods
orM181E minigun pods

SectCobra/SuperCobra (AH-1J/T/W)

Note: Only differences from the basic AH-1G Huey are included in this entry.
These Cobra twin-engine variants are all assigned to the US Marine Corps. The main rotor system is based on the Bell 214 and is fitted with a rotor brake and has elastomeric bearings; the two broad-chord blades have swept tips.
The two turboshaft engines are mounted in separate nacelles located on either side of the main rotor pylon. The engines’ air intakes are large, vertical rectangular inlets; the engine nacelles of the AH-1W are much larger and squarer than those of the AH-1J/T. In the AH-1W, the 73% increase in maximum rated power of the T700 engine installation has restored the operating capabilities , found in the AH-1J at 50% greater maximum takeoff weight. The AH-lW’s exhausts are fitted with large, boxy Infrared (IR) suppressors, and the fuel system can tolerate a direct hit from a 23-mm projectile.
The fuselage has a slender cross section (43 in; 1.09 m) that swells to 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) across the engines; the AH-1T was stretched 12 in (305 mm) to account for the addition of TOW antitank missiles. The cockpit has tandem seating for a gunner/copilot (forward) and pilot.
The AH-lW’s modest night-attack capability is currently limited to Night Vision Goggles (NVG) such as the AN/ AVS-6 Aviator Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS). In June 1994, the first
AH-1W with the Taman Night Targeting System (NTS) upgrade entered service. The million-dollar improvement includes a gyro-stabilized Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and laser designator system for night and adverse-weather targeting of the Hellfire missile.

DEVELOPMENT •

The AH-lJ’s initial operational capability was in 1971. A total of 160 twin-engine Cobras were built for the United States; 202 AH-lJs were manufactured for Iran and eight for South Korea. Most Marine Corps SeaCobras are updated to the AH-1W level from the earlier AH-1T; the AH-1J remains in service in two other countries. Iran, South Korea, and Turkey operate the SeaCobra in addition to the US Army.

VARIANTS •

AH-1J SeaCobra (USMC/ Iran), AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, AH-1W SuperCobra, Four-Bladed Whiskey.

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Cobras have been used in combat by US forces in the Vietnam War and in the 1983 Grenada operation. AH-1T and AH-1W helicopters were deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The Marine Corps Cobras were particularly well suited to desert operations because their systems have been sealed against saltwater corrosion and thus are protected against sand infiltration as well. Approximately 78 USMC Cobras flew 1,273 sorties supporting the operations. One Marine Corps Cobra was lost during the seven-week war in a noncombat casualty.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Bell Helicopter Textron
CREW 2 (pilot, gunner)
ENGINES
AH-1J: 2 Pratt & Whitney T400-CP^00
turboshaft AH-1T: 2 Pratt & Whitney T400-
WV-402 turboshaft AH-1W: 2 General Electric T700-
GE-401 turboshaft
internalfuel capacity
304.5 US gal (1,153 liters) max power AH-1J: 1,800 shp total
AH-1T: 1,970 shp total AH-1W: 3,200 shp total
WEIGHTS
empty AH-1J: 7,261 Ib (3,294 kg)
AH-1T: 8,014 Ib (3,640 kg) AH-1W: 10,200 Ib (4,627
kg)
max takeoff AH-1J: 10,000 Ib (4,535 kg)
AH-1T: 14,000 Ib (6,350
kg)
AH-1W: 14,750 Ib (6,690
kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam AH-1J: 44 ft (13.41 m)
AH-1T/W: 48 ft (14.63 m) length AH-1J: 44 ft 7 in (13.59
m)
AH-1T/W: 48 ft 2 in
(14.68 m)
height AH-1J/W: 13 ft 8 in (4.15
m)
AH-1T: 14 ft 2 in (4.32 m) disc area AH-1J: 1,520.5 ft* (141.3
in*)
AH-1T/W: 1,809.6 ft2
(168.1 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed AH-1J: 180 kts (207 mph; 333 km/h) AH-1T: 149 kts (172 mph;
277 km/h) AH-1W: 189 kts (218 mph; 350 km/h) max cruise at 3,000ft (914 m) at 95°F (35° C)
AH-1T: 135 kts (155 mph;
250 km/h) AH-1W: 160 kts (184
mph; 296 km/h) ceiling AH-1J: 10,550 ft (3,215 m) AH-1T: 11,000ft (3,353
m)
AH-1W: 17,500 ft (5,334
m)
hover in ground effect
AH-1J: 12,450 ft (3,794 m) AH-1T: 4,500 ft (1,372m) AH-1W: 14,750 ft (4,495 m)
hover out of ground effect
AH-1J: 3,600 ft (1,097m) AH-1T: 400 ft (122 m) AH-1W: 3,000 ft (914 m)
range AH-1J: 335 nm (385 mi;
620 km)
AH-1T: 310 nm (356 mi;
574 km) AH-1W: 343 nm (395 mi;
635km) armament, AH-1J
M197 3-barrel 20-mm
cannon (750 rounds)
in nose turret wing pylons for 4
LAU-68A/A (7-tube)
2.75-in (70-mm) rocket pods
or up to 4 LAU-61A/A (19-tube) 2.75-in (70mm) rocket pods
orM181E minigun pods armament, AH-1T/W
in addition to AH-1S armament, can carry
8 BGM-71 TOW antitank
missiles plus in AH-1W: 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder air-
to-air missiles or2AIM-123Sidearm
antiradar missiles or8AGM-114Hellfire
antitank missiles or 4 CMU-55B fuel-air
explosive weapons or!65-in (127-mm) Zuni
rockets
or478-USgal (295-liter) or 2 100-gal (378-liter)
auxiliary fuel tanks

Sea Knight (CH-46)

The Sea Knight has served as the medium assault helicopter for the US Marine Corps and as a Vertical On-Board Delivery (VOD) aircraft for the US Navy, and in a variety of other roles with several other countries.
The Sea Knight has two contra-rotating, three-blade main rotors mounted on rotor pylons atop the fore and after ends of the fuselage. When viewed from above, the forward blade rotates counterclockwise, the after blade clockwise, at a speed of 264 rpm.
The semimonocoque fuselage is an elongated, rounded box with a short nose, an extensively glazed, side-by-side flight deck, dorsal spine for the front rotor drive, and a loading ramp in the rear. The ramp forms the bottom of the fuselage as it tapers up to the tail. The fu-
selage is watertight and in later variants is also fitted with flotation bags. Troop access can be through the rear ramp or by the side doors, which can each mount a .50-cal machine gun.
The two General Electric turboshaft engines are mounted in faired nacelles on either side of the rear rotor pylon. 49 CH-46Es were fitted with 660-US gal (2,498-liter) fuel tanks that have a graphite-epoxy shell and Nomex honeycomb filler. The E’s sponsons were enlarged to accept these tanks, which doubled the mission radius to 160 nm (184 mi; 296 km). Some are fitted with the Loral AN/AAR-47 electro-optical missile-warning system.
The fixed, two-wheel main-landing-gear main legs are mounted in sponsons on each rear side of the fuselage; the sponsons also carry fuel. The two-wheel nose-gear strut is centered under the flight deck.
The avionics fit was upgraded beginning in 1992 with the Rockwell Collins AN/APN-217 Doppler navigation system that has latitude-longitude positioning, ground and wind speed indicators, cross-track and track-angle error messages, and display of time, distance, course, and bearing to next target. Two Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) displays, interface control units, and situation/hover indicator units are also installed in die lower console and instrument panel.
The US Army CH-47 Chinook is highly similar in appearance to the Sea Knight design but can be distinguished by quad-ricycle landing gear, a larger, boxier fuselage, and by the lack of die CH-46′s landing-gear sponsons. The CH-46 is known in the fleet as Phrog.

DEVELOPMENT •

The CH-46′s initial operational capability was in 1962; the first flight of Model 107 was on April 22, 1958. Production ceased in the United States in 1971 after 666 units had been built for US service and for export. Kawasaki’s 25 years of low-rate production of KV-107 variants ended in February
1990 after 160 were built.
Fiberglass rotor blades were introduced as an upgrade in the late 1970s. In addition to the US Navy and Marines, Burma, Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden have operated the CH-46.
In mid-May 1990, the Department of the Navy grounded all 261 US Marine
Corps CH- and HH-46 and Navy UH- and
HH-46 helicopters to correct a quill shaft problem “that could cause a loss of drive to the aft rotor.”
VARIANTS • Model 107 (civilian), YHC-1A/CH-46C, HRB-1, CH46A (SAR,
utility), H-46B (not produced), CH-46D,
CH-46E CILOP (Conversion in Lieu of Procurement CILOP), CH-46F, SR&M (Safety, Reliability, and Maintainability), CH-113 Labrador (SAR)/CH-113A Voy-ageur (transport) for Canada, HKP-4/
HKP-7 (ASW/SAR), KV-107 (Japanese-built), KV107IIA (Kawasaki upgrade for Japan), KV107IIA-SM (Saudi Arabia).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

The Sea Knight was used extensively by US Naval and Marine Corps forces in the Vietnam War. It also supported operations in Lebanon (1982-84) and Grenada (October 1983). In January 1991, CH-46sfrom the amphibious assault ship USS Guam (LPH 9) were diverted from Operation Desert Shield to participate in Operation Eastern Exit, which rescued 281 US and foreign nationals from the US embassy in Mogadishu during the bloody Somalian civil war.
In the fall of 1990, US Navy and Marine Corps CH-46s were deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Desert Shield; 120 Marine Corps Sea Knights—60 operating from shore bases and 60 from ships— flew 1,601 sorties during Operation Desert Storm. They supported the drive into Kuwait that began the ground war on February 24,1991. Two CH46s were lost during the war for noncombat causes.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER
Boeing Vertol
Kawasaki ofJapan, under US license CREW 3 (2 pilots, crewman) + 25 troops or 15 litters + 2 attendants
ENGINES 2 General Electric T58-GE-16
turboshaft
max power 1,870 shp each
(transmission rating is
2,800 shp)
internalfuel capacity
380 US gal (1,438 liters)
extended fuel-capacity kit
660 US gal (2,498 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty operating, without armor
or armament: 15,537 Ib (7,047kg) with armor, guns, and ammunition: 17,396 Ib
(7,891 kg)
payload without armor or
armament: 5,166 Ib
(2,343 kg)
with armor and
armament: 4,153 Ib (1,884 kg)
sling load 10,000 Ib (4,536 kg) max takeoff sea level, 59°F (15°C): 24,300 Ib (11,022kg)
sea level, 90°F (32°C):
23,992 Ib (10,883kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 51 ft (15.54 m) each length overall, rotors turning: 84 ft 4 in (25.72 m) fuselage: 45 ft 8 in (13.92m)
width, fuselage ,
7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) height 16 ft 8Vz in (5.09 m)
disc area 4,086 ft2 (379.6 m2) PERFORMANCE at max takeoff weight max speed 143 kts (165 mph; 265 km/h)
cruise speed
137 kts (154 mph; 248
km/h)
climb rate 2,045 ft/min (623 m/min)
service ceiling
14,000 ft (4,267 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect standard day:
14,000 ft/4,267 m,
95°F/35°C
12,580 ft (3,834 m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect standard day:
11,970 ft/3,649 m,
95°F/35°C
8,600 ft (2,643 m)
mission radius, with increased fuel-capacity kits 160 nm (184 mi; 296 km)
range at sea level on internalfuel
365 nm (420 mi; 676 km) armament 2 .50-cal machine guns optional

Chinook (CH-47)

The Chinook medium transport helicopter is the largest helicopter in service with the US and British armies and is flown by several other nations. The Chinook is similar in basic design to the US Navy/ Marine Corps H-46 Sea Knight helicopter.
The Chinook features tandem, fully articulated, three-blade, contra-rotating main rotors on separate pylons. The forward rotor is located above the cockpit and rotates counterclockwise when seen from above; the aft rotor is on a taller pylon at the rear of the fuselage and rotates clockwise. The two engines are fitted externally on either side of the rear rotor pylon and drive a common transmission system. CH-47Ds are fitted with an Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) that features dual, redundant control units and actuators.
Chinooks have fixed quadricycle landing gear; the rear, single-wheel units are fully castoring and steerable, and the forward legs have fixed, two-wheel units. The fuselage is designed around a cargo hold with a nearly square cross section. Ahead of the hold is a fully glazed flight deck with a short nose. The cargo ramp is in
the rear of the fuselage and triple external cargo hook system; fore and aft hooks have 17,000-lb (7,712-kg) capacity, the center hook can hold 26,000 Ib (11,793 kg), and dual-point capacity is 23,000 Ib
(10,433kg).
The fuselage has external fuel tanks in sponsons along both sides and has a sealed lower half to permit water landings.
Defensive electronics and counter-measures are fitted to many Chinooks in various configurations.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Chinook’s initial operational capability was in 1962; its first flight was on September 21, 1961 (YCH-47A). The helicopter remained in production for foreign users after 736 were built by Boeing Vertol (later Boeing Helicopters) for the US Army. Over 200 have been built under license by Meridional! in Italy, and 54 were being built by Kawasaki in Japan.
The initial operational capability for the CH-47D was in February 1984.
In February 1991, the Canadian Air Command announced that it would dispose of its seven CH-147s by the middle of 1991 due to a series of comprehensive defense budget cuts.
All 264 US Army CH-47Ds were grounded in July 1989 and again in August 1989 after two aircraft suffered similar failures in the drivetrain for the aft oil-cooling fan assembly. In April 1990, the Army once again grounded its CH-47Ds because of possible cracked lock nuts in the forward transmission mounting.
In addition to the US Army, about 13 other countries throughout the world operate the Chinook.

VARIANTS •

YHC-1B (prototype), CH-47A, CH-47B, CH-47C (BV 219) (US Army, Canada, China, Italy), Chinook HC Mk 1 (BV 352) (RAF), Chinook HC
Mk 2, CH-47D (US Army, Germany,
Greece, Spain), International Chinook
(Model 414-100) (Japan, China), MH-
47E (USSOF).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Chinooks were widely used in the Vietnam War. Some were armed to act as gunships but were deemed unsuited to that role. In the Falklands War of 1982, the single available British Chinook—a survivor of the sinking of the requisitioned supply ship Atlantic Conveyor in which four other Chinooks were lost—flew 109 hours in combat conditions without spares or ground support; it carried up to 80 armed troops at a time.
169 US and 21 British CH-47s were deployed to Saudi Arabia in the fall of 1990 as part of Operation Desert Shield. Although at first beset by increased engine and rotor wear due to the fine sand, changes in operating and maintenance procedures improved reliability to acceptable levels.
US Chinooks flew hundreds of sorties before and during Operation Desert Storm. No CH-47s were lost during the war, although one was damaged, possibly by missile fire, on the first night of the war. A British Chinook HC 1 accidentally detonated a land mine near its touchdown point and was sprayed with fragments that left 77 holes and every tire flat. It managed to return to its base after a five-hour flight.
A CH-47 crashed, losing four crew members, a few days after the cease-fire took effect. After the cease-fire, Chinooks and other utility helicopters delivered supplies to several hundred thousand refugees massing near the Turkish border.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURERS
Boeing Helicopters Elicotteri Meridionali, Italy Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan CREW 3 (pilot, copilot, crew chief/ combat commander) + 44 troops (see Operational Notes) or 24 litters and 2 attendants
ENGINES 2 Avco Lycoming T55-L-712 turboshaft
max power 3,750 shp each internalfuel capacity
1,030 US gal (3,900 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 22,452 lb (10,184 kg) internal payload over 100 nm (115 mi; 185 km) mission radius
14,356 lb (6,512 kg) max external load over 30 nm (35 mi; 55 km) mission radius
15,856 lb (7,192 kg) external load capacity
28,000 lb (12,701 kg) max useful load (internal and external)
26,679 lb (12,101 kg) max takeoff 50,000 lb (22,680 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 60 ft (18.29 m) length 51 ft (15.54 m) height 18 ft 8 in (5.68 m)
cargo hold length: 30 ft 2 in (9.2 m) width at floor: 8 ft 3 in
(2.51 m) mean width: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98m)
volume: 1,474 ft3 (41.7 m»)
disc area 5,655 ft2 (525.4 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 159 kts (183 mph; 295 km/h) no sling load cruise speed, depending on conditions 120-138 kts (138-159 mph; 222-256 km/h) max climb rate at 44,000 lb (19,958 kg)
l,980ft/min (605
m/min) ceilings at 50,000 lb (22,680 kg)
service: 8,500ft (2,591 m) hovering in ground
effect, ISA: 8,250 ft
(2,515 m) hovering out of ground
effect, ISA: 4,950 ft
(1,509 m)
mission radius
23,030 lb (10,446kg)
external load: 30 nm (35 mi; 55 km)
14,728 lb (6,680 kg)
internal payload: 100 nm (115 mi; 185km) ferry range 1,111 nm (1,279 mi; 2,059 km)
Sea Stallion/Super Jolly (CH-53A/D)
The CH-53 is a heavy lift helicopter in wide military use. Developed specifically for the US Navy and Marine Corps, it is employed for assault, vertical replenishment, and Mine Countermeasures
(MCM) operations. Some CH/HH-53B/
Cs have been modified for special operations and are known as the Pave Low III series.
The CH-53 has a fuselage resembling an enlarged US Air Force HH-3 “Jolly Green Giant” with a six-blade, fully articulated rotor with aluminum blades that fold under power. Later variants have been retrofitted with composite blades having titanium leading edges.
The main rotor mast rises out of a long centerline hump that contains the Solar T62T-12 Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The two T64 turboshaft engines are shoulder-mounted on either side of the centerline fairing. The inlets are protected by prominent debris screens. The four-blade antitorque rotor is mounted on the left side at the top of the slender tailboom; the long-span, unbraced horizontal stabilizer extends to starboard opposite the antitorque rotor hub. The tailboom has a strut-braced skid and can be folded to starboard for shipboard stowage.
The semimonocoque fuselage has a blunt, almost stepless nose with tall “cheek” windows as well as a split windshield and side windows. The large, unobstructed cabin is roughly square in cross section—7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) wide and 6 ft 6
in (1.98 m) high. The original payload requirement was for 38 fully equipped troops, 24 litters, and four attendants, or 8,000 Ib (3,629 kg) of cargo. In later variants, up to 55 troops can be carried, and the external hoist was ultimately rated at 20,000 Ib (9,072kg).
The after part of the cabin tapers up to the tailboom and holds the stern ramp, which is lowered for ground-loading or airdrops. The ramp opening is wind-shielded by small panels fitted to the fuselage sides below the tailboom.
Large sponsons are mounted on the lower aft fuselage sides; they have an airfoil cross section. The sponsons hold the two-wheel main-landing-gear struts, which retract forward behind the fuel tanks; additional fuel tanks are carried on semipermanent pylons mounted outboard of the sponsons. The two-wheel nose gear retracts forward.

DEVELOPMENT •

The initial operational capability for the CH-53A was in 1966; its first flight was on October 15, 1964. Over 300 of these variants remain in service with the US Air Force, Navy, and Marines along with Germany and Israel; Iran’s CH-53s are no longer operational. Also, eight Pave Low III and 31 Pave Low Ill-Enhanced Special Operations Command aircraft are operational.

VARIANTS •

CH-53A, RH-53A (USN), HH-53B (USAF SAR), HH-53C, CH-53C,
CH-53D (USMC), RH-53D (USN),
CH-53E/MH-53E, CH-53G (110 license-built by Germany’s VFW-Fokker),
HH-53H/MH-53H Pave Low III, S-65-Oe
(built for Austria, later transferred to Israel) . Yasour 2000 (Israeli Air Force update program), MH-53J Pave Low Ill-Enhanced (modified hydraulic and electrical systems).

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 3 (2 pilots, 1 crewman) + 38 troops or 24 litters
ENGINES 2 General Electric T64-GE^13 turboshaft max power 3,925 shp each
internalfuel capacity
622 US gal (2,354 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 23,628 Ib (10,717 kg)
max takeoff 50,000 Ib (22,680 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotordiam 72 ft 3 in (22.04 m)
length 67 ft 2 in (20.48 m)
height 24 ft 11 in (7.59m) disc area 4,100 ft* (380.9 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 171 kts (196 mph; 316
km/h)
cruise 151 kts (173 mph; 279
km/h)
climb rate 2,180 ft/min (664 m/min)
service ceiling
21,000 ft (6,400m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
13,400 ft (4,084 m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect
6,500 ft (1,981m) range 886 nm (1,020 mi; 1,640
km)

Super Stallion/Sea Dragon (CH-53E/MH-53E)

The E-series of the H-53 is the heaviest lift helicopter in service in the West. The H-53E series is similar to the CH-53A/D Sea Stallion helicopters in US Navy and Marine Corps service.
The airframe follows the pattern of the earlier CH-53 versions, having an unobstructed cabin with lowering rear ramp behind a blunt nose and flight deck and under the powertrain. The cabin is spacious enough to accept seven pallets measuring 3 ft 4 in X 4 ft (1.02 X 1.22 m);
seating for 55 troops is also provided. A single-point cargo hook below the fuselage can carry a maximum 18-US ton (16.5-metric ton) sling load, although 16

CH-53E Super Stallion
U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
tons (14.5 metric tons) is more typical. The CH-53E flown by the Marine Corps can lift 93% of the heavy equipment of a Marine division compared to 38% for the CH-53D.
The biggest change is in the power-train. A third T64 turboshaft engine is fitted behind the main rotor mast; it is fed by an intake located to the left of the rotor mast. The main transmission gearbox, located directly below the main rotor hub, is linked to the three engines by driveshafts that extend forward and outward to the outboard engines and to the rear for the third engine.
On either side of the fuselage are large fuel sponsons; the main gear units fold into the rear of the sponsons. The nose gear folds forward. Additional auxiliary fuel tank pylons can be fitted to the sponsons; the two 650-US gal (2,461-liter) drop tanks increase total fuel capacity by 127%. The aircraft is also fitted with a retractable in-flight refueling probe.
To absorb the increased power, a seventh blade was added to the fully articulated, titanium and steel main rotor hub. Each blade has a wider chord and greater length, a titanium spar, Nomex core, and fiberglass-epoxy skinning. The seven blades are power-folded.

DEVELOPMENT •

The initial operational capability of the CH-53E was February 1981. The first flight of the prototype (YCH-53E) was on March 1, 1974, the CH-53E was in December 1980, and the MH-53E in September 1983. Over 100 CH-53Es and about 15 MH-53Es are in service with the US Navy and Marine Corps. The first delivery of the S-80-M-1 export version of the MH-53E was made to Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in January
1989.
The tail section was altered several times during development, with the final arrangement having the tail rotor pylon canted 20° off vertical to port; the large four-blade antitorque rotor is fitted at the top. A long, strut-braced, gull-wing horizontal stabilizer extends to starboard opposite the antitorque rotor. The tail pylon power-folds to starboard, reducing overall height by 9 ft 9 in (2.98 m). Flight control is maintained by a Hamilton Standard FCC-105 Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) with four-axis autopilot and two digital computers.
In 1987, the main transmission gearbox of the CH-53E was inspected and the bull gears replaced after inspections revealed excessive wear. The entire CH-53E fleet was grounded until the replacements could be made.
The MH-53E Sea Dragon is a mine-sweeping variant with larger fuel capacity.
The helicopter is used by the US Navy and Marines and by Japan.

VARIANTS •

YCH-53E, CH-53E Super
Stallion, MH-53E Sea Dragon, S-80-M-1
(Japan).
M.ti-$6iL Sea Dragon

UNITED TECHNOLOGIES/SIKORSKY

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Three Marine Corps squadrons operating the CH-53E were deployed to the Persian Gulf in fall 1990 as part of Operation Desert Shield.
During the seven weeks of Operation Desert Storm, 75 Marine Corps Super Stallions—53 operating from shore bases and 22 from ships—flew 2,045 sorties supporting the preparation and execution of the Marine-Saudi drive up the coast.
MH-53s operating from amphibious ships in the Persian Gulf conducted anti-mine sorties to sweep Iraqi mines.
The MH-53J Pave Low transported covert reconnaissance teams into Kuwait and Iraq prior to ground war.
In January 1991, a small detachment was diverted to Mogadishu in Somalia to aid CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters in Operation Eastern Exit, which rescued 281 US and foreign nationals from the US embassy during the Somalian civil war.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 3 (2 pilots, 1 crew chief) + 55 troops
ENGINES 3 General Electric T64-GE-416 turboshaft max power 4,380 shp each
internalfuel capacity
1,017 US gal (3,849 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 33,226 Ib (15,071 kg)
maxpayload internal: 30,000 Ib (13,607 kg)
sling load: 32,000 Ib
(14,515 kg)
max takeoff internal payload: 69,750 Ib (31,640 kg) external payload: 73,500
Ib (33,339 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 79 ft (24.08 m)
length fuselage: 73 ft 4 in (23.55
m)
tail and rotor pylon
folded: 60 ft 6 in (18.44 m) .
overall: 99 ft 1.2 in (30.19
m)
height 27 ft 9 in (8.46 m)
cabin length: 30 ft (9.14 m)
width: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98m)
disc area 4,902 ft* (455.4 m*) PERFORMANCE
max speed at 56,000 Ib (25,400 kg): 170 kts (196 mph; 315
km/h)
at max takeoff, 4,000 ft (1,220m): 154 kts (177 mph; 285 km/h) econ cruise speed
at 56,000 Ib (25,400kg): 150 kts (173 mph; 278
km/h)
at max takeoff, 4,000 ft (1,220m): 136 kts (157 mph; 252 km/h) climb rate at 56,000 Ib (25,400 kg):
2,500 ft/min (762
m/min) at max takeoff: 1,630 ft/ min (497 m/min)
service ceiling
at 56,000 Ib (25,400kg):
18,500 ft (5,640 m) at max takeoff: 12,000 ft
(3,658 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
at 56,000 Ib (25,400 kg),
max power: 11,550 ft
(3,520 m)
at max takeoff, max
power: 7,000 ft (2,134
m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect
at 56,000 Ib (25,400kg),
max power: 9,500 ft
(2,895 m) at max takeoff: 1,300ft
(396 m)
radius 50 nm (58 mi; 93 km)
with 16-US ton (14.5-
metric ton) sling load 100 nm (115 mi; 185 km)
with max internal cargo
range with 20,000-lb (9,072-kg)
payload, external fuel: approx 450 nm (518 mi; 834 km) self-ferry with 4,408-lb
(2,000-kg) payload:
approx 1,000 nm (1,151 mi; 1,852 km)

Chickasaw (H-19)

The H-19 Chickasaw is a 12-seat, multipurpose helicopter adapted for use in the Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), troop and VIP transport, Search and Rescue (SAR), and general utility roles.
The H-19 has a fully articulated main rotor assembly that rotates counterclockwise when seen from above. The three all-metal blades have design lifetimes of 20,000 hours each. The two-blade anti-torque rotor is carried aft on a long tail-boom; it is mounted on the left (tractor) side of the boom. Two small stabilizers are arranged in an inverted “V” on the underside of the boom ahead of the small tail skid.
The semimonocoque fuselage layout was dictated by a desire to place the main cabin under the main rotor, allowing a greater variety of payload configurations while remaining within the center-of-gravity envelope. The radial piston engine is located in the nose under a bulbous cowling; the driveshaft is led aft and up at a 45° angle under the flight deck to the main rotor. Its location permits easy maintenance through clamshell doors. The flight deck is located above the main cabin with the pilot and copilot sitting ahead of the main rotor mast; the flight-deck glazing is above the top line of the fuselage. The boxy main cabin is reached through a large sliding door on the starboard side. The rear of the cabin is vertical and has the narrow tailboom extending from the upper corners; a large triangular filletwas fitted to the rear of the fuselage to improve stability in production variants.
Landing gear is nonretracting quadri-cycle. The rear-landing-gear legs are out-rigged on struts and have a wider track than the front pair. The front pair are fitted side by side under the front fuselage. All gear legs have shock absorbers. Floats can be fitted, as can amphibious landing gear.

DEVELOPMENT •

The H-19′s initial operational capability was in 1950; its first flight was on November 10,1949. Sikorsky manufactured 1,067 H-19/S-55 helicopters from 1950 to 1959 and 1961 to 1962.
Westland in Great Britain, Sud-Est in France, and Mitsubishi in Japan produced an additional 547; most of these were Westland Whirlwinds. The H-19 is no longer in production or in operational service with US military services. Only a few remain in service in Chile and Turkey, where they are operated as SAR aircraft.

VARIANTS •

YH-19 (prototype), H-19A
(USAF), HO4S-1 (USN/ASW), HRS-1 (production version/USMC), H-19B
(USAF), HO4S-3 (USN ASW), HRS-2
(USMC; designation changed to CH-19E
in 1962), HRS-3 (UH-19F in 1962),
HO4S-3G (USCG SAR; redesignated
HH-19G in 1962), H-19C (US Army),
H-19D (US Army), HAR 21/HAS 22, Whirlwind, HAR1/HAR2 (Royal Navy/ Air Force), HAR3/HAR4, HAR5/ Whirlwind Series 2, HAR6, HAS7 (RN
ASW), HCC 8 (Queen’s Flight VIP aircraft), HAR9, HAR10/Whirlwind Series 3 (RAF), HCC12 (Queen’s VIP aircraft), S-55 (commercialvariant), S-55T (Chile), Elephant Joyeux (French-assembled), Simulated Hind (modified to simulate Russian Hind).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

The Chick-asaw was used extensively in combat by US and South Vietnamese forces in the
early stages of the Vietnam War, by British forces in Malaysia, and by French forces in North Africa.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 2 (pilot, co-pilot) + 12 troops or
8 litters
ENGINES 1 Pratt & Whitney R-l340-57
radial piston or 1 Wright R-l 300 radial piston
max power R-l 340: 600 hp R-1300: 700 hp
internalfuel capacity
185 US gal (700 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 4,795 Ib (2,177 kg)
maxpayload 2,855 Ib (1,296 kg) takeoff normal: 7,200 Ib (3,266 kg)
max: 7,900 Ib (3,587 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 53 ft (16.16 m)
length fuselage: 42 ft 2 in (12.85
m)
overall: 62 ft 7 in (19.07
m)
height 13 ft 4 in (4.07 m)
cabin length: 10 ft (3.05 m)
width: 6 ft (1.82m) height: 5 ft 6 in (1.67m) volume: 340 ft3 (9.63 m3)
disc area 2,206.2 ft2 (205 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 88 kts (101 mph; 163
km/h)
cruise speed 74 kts (85 mph; 137 km/ h)
climb rate 700 ft/min (213 m/min) ceiling 10,500 ft (3,200 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
6,400ft (1,951m) hovering ceiling out of ground effect
2,000 ft (610 m) range 352 nm (405 mi; 652 km)

Choctaw (H-34)

The H-34 Choctaw is a multipurpose helicopter that evolved from US Navy requirements for an Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) helicopter. The H-34 series has been adapted for use in that role and for transport, utility, Search and Rescue (SAR), and Antarctic support operations.
The helicopter is similar in overall design to the H-19 Chickasaw but is larger and has a streamlined tail section. The Choctaw has a fully articulated, four-blade main rotor assembly that rotates counterclockwise when seen from above. The four-blade antitorque rotor is mounted on the left (tractor) side of the swept tail. A rectangular horizontal stabilizer extends from the leading edge of the fin.
The flight deck is located above the main cabin with the pilot and copilot sitting ahead of the main rotor mast; the flight-deck glazing is above the top line of the fuselage. The boxy main cabin is reached through a large sliding door on the starboard side. The fuselage is tapered from the rear of the cabin to the vertical tailboom.
The Wright radial piston engine is located in the nose, permitting easy maintenance through clamshell doors. The driveshaft is led aft and up at a 45° angle under the flight deck to the main rotor. The S-58T conversions have Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T Twin Pac (two turbines coupled to single output shaft) in a lengthened nose that has a “lanternjaw” with intake “nostrils.”
Landing gear is arranged in a “tail-dragger” layout. The main-landing-gear legs are outrigged on fixed struts below the cockpit. The fixed tailwheel is mounted under the fuselage just ahead of the vertical tail.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Choctaw’s initial operational capability was in 1955, and its first flight was on March 8,1954. It
is no longer in production or in US military service, but still in service with Argentina, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uruguay, the majority of the aircraft being S-58T conversions. A total of 2,187 were produced, of which Sud-Aviation of France assembled 135 and license-built an additional 166 aircraft. Westland produced its own turbine-powered version, dubbed the Wessex.

VARIANTS •

XHSS-1 (prototype), HSS-1 Seabat (USN ASW), HSS-1N, HUS-1/
UH-34D Seahorse (USMC), HUS-1A/
UH-34E Seahorse, HUS-1G/HH-34F (USCG SAR), HUS-1L/LH-34D, HUS-1 Z/ VH-34D (VIP), CH-34C, VH-34C, S-58T (flying crane), S-58B/C/D (commercial variants), Wessex.
COMBAT EXPERIENCE • CH-34 transport helicopters were widely used by the US Marine Corps in Vietnam.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft
CREW
ASW: 4 (pilot, copilot, 2 sensor systems operators) transport: 18 passengers or 8 litters
ENGINES
CH-34: 1 Wright R-1820-84 radial
piston
S-58T: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6T-3/3B/6 coupled turboshaft
max power CH-34: 1,525 hp
S-58T: 1,600 shp (-3/-3B)
or 1,675 shp (-6) internalfuel capacity
CH-34: 306 US gal (1,159 liters)
S-58T: 283 US gal (1,071 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 8,400 Ib (3,814 kg)
maxpayload 2,976 Ib (1,350 kg) max takeoff CH-34: 13,300 Ib (6,038
kg)
S-58T: 13,000 Ib (5,896
kg)
overload 14,000 Ib (6,350 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
length 46 ft 9 in (14.25m)
height 15 ft 11 in (4.86m)
disc area 2,463 ft2 (228.8 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed CH-34 107 kts (123 mph; 198 km/h) S-58T120kts (138 mph; 222 km/h) cruise speed CH-34 85 kts (98 mph; 158 km/h) S-58T110kts (127 mph; 204 km/h) econ cruise (S-58T)
80 kts (92 mph; 148 km/
h)
climb rate 1,100 ft/min (335 m/min)
ceiling 9,500 ft (2,896 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
CH-34: 4,900 ft
(1,494m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect
CH-34: 2,400 ft (732 m) S-58T (PT6T-3 engines):
4,700 ft (1,433 m)
S-58T(PT6T-6 engines): 6,500ft (1,981m) range CH-34: 158 nm (182 mi; 293km)
S-58T PT6T-3: 260 nm
(299 mi; 481 km)
S-58T PT6T-6: 242 nm
(278 mi; 447 km) armament (CH-34)
2 Mk-44 ASW homing
torpedoes

Osage (H-55)

The Osage is a small, simply designed, two-seat training helicopter. Its fuselage is constructed of welded-steel tubes with an aluminum skin for the non-plexiglass portions of the cabin. A three-bladed, articulated main rotor of aluminum and a two-bladed steel and fiberglass tail rotor are powered by a single 180-hp Lycoming flat-four engine located below the cabin seats. The tailboom is a simple mono-coque tube, and the landing gear is composed of skids mounted on shock absorbers.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Osage’s initial operational capability was in 1964; its first flight was in October 1956. Still in limited production for commercial customers. About 850 have been delivered to military customers in Latin America, Asia, and Europe.

VARIANTS •

YHO-2 (US Army prototype), TH-55A, Hughes 269A/200/300
(commercial/export).

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Hughes
CREW 2 (pilot, student) ENGINES 1 Lycoming HIO-360-B1A piston
max power 180 hp
WEIGHTS
empty 1,008 Ib (457 kg)
max takeoff 1,850 Ib (839 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 25 ft 3 Vz in (7.71 m) length 28 ft 11 in (8.8m)
height 8 ft 3 in (2.5 m)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 75 kts (86 mph; 138 km/ h)
cruise speed 57 kts (66 mph; 106 km/ h)
ceiling 11,900 ft (3,625 m) range 177 nm (204 mi; 328 km)

Chinook SOF (MH-47E)

The MH-47E Special Operations Forces (SOF) helicopter is a variation of the CH-47D Chinook medium transport helicopter. It was developed to achieve a 90% probability of completing a five-hour deep-penetration, clandestine mission
over a 300-nm (345-mi; 556-km) radius. The aircraft must also be able to lift 30 fully equipped troops and hover out of ground effect at the midpoint of a specified mission during hot, adverse weather.
The MH-47E combines CH-47D and International Chinook upgrades with system improvements tested on Boeing’s Model 360 demonstrator. Much of the avionics fit is common to both the
MH-47E and the Sikorsky MH-60K variant of the UH-60 Blackhawk.
The two engines have been uprated to 7,500 shaft horsepower. The rotors can be stopped from full speed by rotor brakes in 45 seconds. Internal fuel is carried in lengthened external sponsons known as spontoons. A 28-ft (8.53-m) fixed refueling probe extends forward from the right spontoon and has a 300-US gal (l,136-liter)/min capacity. 1,700 US gal (6,435 liters) of auxiliary fuel can be carried in roll-in/roll-out fuel tanks in the cabin. The engines have Full-Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) developed by Chandler Evans and Hawker Siddeley Dynamics.
To accommodate the longer spon-toons, the front landing gear was moved forward 3 ft 4 in (1.02 m).
The nose of the flight deck on the SOF Chinook has been extended to accept a Texas Instruments AN/APQ-168 multimode terrain-following/ terrain-avoidance radar and either a Hughes AN/AAQ-16 For ward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) turret or Texas Instruments AN/ APQ-174 radar.
The MH-47E features a 600-lb (272kg) capacity external rescue hoist that can also anchor a “fast-rope” rappelling system, on-board oxygen generation, and the AAR-Brooks & Perkins internal cargo handling equipment as well as 11 additional seats. An Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS) and mission-management system developed by IBM results in a flight deck having two full-color (inboard) and two monochrome (outboard) Multifunction Displays (MFD), an Allied Signal-Bendix digital moving map display, and two Control Display Units (CDU).
Communications and navigation electronics are extensive. In addition to varied radio bands, equipment includes an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder, Airborne Target Handoff System (ATHS), satellite communications, ground communications, intercom, and personnel-locator system.
Navigation equipment goes beyond the basics, incorporating a Global Positioning System (GPS, Inertial Navigation System/INS), radar altimeter, Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), and an air data computer.

DEVELOPMENT •

The MH-47E’s first flight was on May 31, 1990. Boeing received an $81.8-million contract in December 1987 to develop and qualify a prototype. 32 CH-47Ds were converted to
MH-47D for operation by the US Army’s
Special Operations Force as an interim program. The aircraft would be replaced by the MH-47E.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Boeing Helicopter CREW 3 (pilot, copilot, crew chief/
combat commander) + 44 troops or
24 litters and 2 attendants ENGINE 2 Avco Lycoming T55-L-714
turboshaft
max continuous power
4,110 shp each
internalfuel capacity
2,068 US gal (7,827 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 26,094 Ib (11,836 kg)
max takeoff 54,000 Ib (24,494 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 60 ft (18.29 m)
length overall: 98 ft 11 in (30.15
m)
fuselage: 50 ft 9 in (15.47
m)
height 18 ft 9 in (5.68 m)
cargo hold length: 30 ft 6 in (9.27 m)
width at floor: 8 ft 3 in
(2.51 m) mean widdu: 7 ft 6 in
(2.29 m)
height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98
m)
volume: 1,474ft3 (41.7
m3)
disc area 5,655 ft2 (525.4 m2)
PERFORMANCE
cruise speed 138 kts (159 mph; 256 km/h)
rate of climb 1,841 ft/min (561 m/min)
ceiling at 33,000 Ib (14,969 kg) : 15,000 ft (4,572 m)
at 50,000 Ib (22,680kg):
10,150 ft (3,094 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect at 50,000 Ib (22,680 kg)
standard day: 9,800 ft
(2,987 m)
hot day: 7,900 ft (2,408
m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect at 50,000Ib (22,680kg)
standard day: 5,500 ft
(1,676m)
hot day: 3,300 ft (1,006
m)
mission radius, 12,000 Ib (5,443 kg) payload
300 nm (345 mi; 556 km) range, standardfuel, weight of50,000 Ib (22,680kg)
612 nm (705 mi; 1,135
km)

Blackhawk SOF (MH-60)

Two MH-60 variants of the UH-60 Black-hawk tactical transport helicopter have been developed. The MH-60G Pave Hawk is a US Air Force night operations/ combat Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft converted from the UH-60A. The
MH-60K Special Operations Force (SOF) variant has been developed for Special Operations Command (SOC); it shares virtually all of its avionics design with the MH-47E Chinook SOF aircraft.
The MH-60K’s avionics package is identical to the MH-47 Chinook SOF aircraft. Communications in the UHF, VHF, and HF bands are provided, with the UHF band being covered by Have Quick II frequency-hopping radios. Remaining communications electronics are also the same as the MH-47E.
The MH-60 also has extensive navigation equipment and self-defense capabilities integrated under the Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) concept. It includes a Honeywell AN/AAR-47 missile-warning receiver, ITT AN/ ALQ-136 pulse-radar jammer, Sanders AN/ALQ-144(V)1 pulsed IR jammer, Northrop AN/AlQ-162 Shadowbox Continuous Wave (CW) jammer, General
Instruments AN/APR-39A(V)1 pulse-radar-warning receiver, AEL AN/APR-44 (V) 3 CW-radar-warning receiver, Hughes-Danbury Optical Division AN/ AVR-2 laser-warning receiver, and CM-130 chaff/flare dispensers. An external cargo hook will carry up to 8,000 Ib (3,629 kg); typical sling loads include a 105-mm howitzer and 50 rounds of ammunition.

DEVELOPMENT •

The MH-60G’s initial operational capability was in September 1987, with the aircraft going to Air National Guard units.
The MH-60K program began in January 1988 with an $82.8-million contract to develop the prototype. It was rolled out in April 1990, with its first flight on August 10,1990, and delivered to the 160th Aviation Regiment on August 20, 1991. The US Army operates the MH-60K variant, and the USAF operates the MH-60G.

VARIANTS •

MH-60G Pave Hawk (special mission), MH-60K (basic variant).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

MH-60Gs of the Special Operations Command’s 55th
Special Operations Squadron were airlifted to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield; during Operation Desert Storm, the MH-60Gs were used primarily for combat search and rescue as well as transporting covert reconnaissance teams into Kuwait and Iraq.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 3 (pilot, copilot, crew chief) +
7-12 troops ENGINES 2 General Electric T700-
GE-701C turboshaft
max power 1,900 shp each
(transmission rating is
3,400 shp)
continuous 1,437 shp internalfuel capacity
360 US gal (1,361 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty hot and high mission
(95°F/35°C at 4,000
ft/1,220 m): 15,966 Ib (7,242 kg) European mission
(70°F/21°C at 2,000 ft/610 m): 16,239 Ib
(7,366 kg)
max takeoff hot and high: 21,412 Ib
(9,712 kg)
European: 23,676 Ib
(10,739kg) self-deploy: 24,034 Ib
(10,902 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m) length 50 ft (15.26 m) without
refueling probe height 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
disc area 2,262 ft2 (210.2 m?)
PERFORMANCE \
never-exceed speed (Vne)
194 kts (225 mph; 361
km/h)
max cruise speed
sea level: 160 kts (184
mph; 296 km/h) hot and high: 145 kts
(167 mph; 269 km/h)
earn cruise speed, hot and high
137 kts (158 mph; 254
km/h)
hover ceiling out of ground effect (required)
European mission: 2,000 ft (610 m)
hot and high: 4,000 ft
(1,220 m) radius with 7 troops (hot and high) or 12 troops (European mission)
more than 200 nm (230 mi; 370 km) self-deployment with 830 US gal (3,142 liters) auxiliary fuel
755 nm (869 mi; 1,398 km)
armament 2 12.7-mm machine guns

Kiowa/JetRanger (OH-58/Bell 206)

The OH-58 Kiowa is in widespread US Army and Navy service, as well as with a number of foreign military forces as the Bell 206 series. It is widely used for liaison, observation, fire direction, and training, with a few modified for the antitank role.
The Kiowa is a single-engine, general-purpose light helicopter. The semirigid, “seesaw” type two-blade main rotor has an aluminum spar and skin with a honeycomb core. The two-blade tail rotor is mounted on the left side of the shark-fin vertical tail; a fixed, rectangular horizontal stabilizer is mounted on the tailboom ahead of the fin.
The fuselage is in three sections: tail-boom, semimonocoque center, and nose. The windshield is bulged and has a slight step down to the flattened nose; lower cheek windows in the nose aid in landing, takeoff, and hovering. Landing gear is parallel skids on struts extending from the fuselage.
Basic avionics consist of navigation and communications equipment. Beginning

OH-58 Kiowa Scout Helicopter
U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
in 1990, the older AN/ARC-114 radios in the US Army’s OH-58Cs were replaced
by the AN/ARC-201 Single-Channel
Ground and Airborne Radio System
(SINCGARS). In addition, many OH-58Cs are fitted with the AN/ALR-39
Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). Subsequently, the RWR was integrated with the AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver.
Weapons may be added but are not integral to the design. For example, a few hundred OH-58Cs are being fitted with the Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS).

DEVELOPMENT •

The OH-58A’s initial operational capability was in 1968. Its first flight as the Bell 206 JetRanger was on November 8, 1962. Originally designated as the OH-4A, it lost the US Army’s competition for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) to the Hughes OH-6. A redesigned 206 then became a commercial success and was ordered by the US Navy as a training helicopter (TH-57, Sea-Ranger) , after which the Army reopened the LOH competition and began purchasing the 206 as the OH-58A Kiowa.
Over 2,400 military 206 and 4,600 commercial JetRangers have been built; commercial production of JetRangers and LongRangers has been transferred to Bell Helicopter Canada with delivery of the first Canadian-built JetRanger occurring in December 1986. License production by Chincul SACAIFI in San Juan, Argentina, of the Bell 212 and 214 began in mid-1991.
In 1990, most of the US Navy’s TH-57s were grounded to repair cracks on the landing skid supports, and over 80% were found to have the problem.
Approximately 600 US Army OH-58s are expected to remain in service into the 21st century. About 35 other nations fly the Kiowa and its variants, scattered throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
Bell Helicopter Textron was awarded a contract to build 157 of its 206B Jet-Ranger helicopters for military training.
The new helicopter, the first the US Army has bought “off-the-shelf,” is designated the TH-67 Creek, and is assigned to the Army’s helicopter training school at
Fort Rucker, Alabama. Close to 8,000 of the basic Bell 206 airframes have been built.

VARIANTS •

OH-4A (developmental),
TH-57A SeaRanger (USN trainer), TH-57B, TH-57C (instrument trainer), OH-58A (US Army production model), OH-58A Plus, OH-58B (Austrian AF), 206B-1 (Australian-built), OH-58C, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, TH-67 Creek (US
Army), 206L-3 LongRanger (stretched version of 206 JetRanger), Cardoen
206L-3 Bichito (civilian), 206-L3 (gun-
ship), 206L TexasRanger, CH-136 (Canadian), AB206A (Agusta-Bell), Zafar 300
(Iran).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

OH-58swere deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm where they were used for reconnaissance, forward air control training, and personal transports for commanders. One aircraft was lost due to combat, one to noncom-bat causes.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURERS
Bell Helicopter Textron Bell Helicopter Canada
Agusta-Bell (Italy/AB206) licensed Chincul SACAIFI (Argentina/212,
214)
CREW 2 (pilot, copilot) + 2 troops ENGINES
OH-58A: 1 Allison T63-A-700 turboshaft
OH-58C: 1 Allison T63-A-720 turboshaft
max power OH-58A: 317 shp (T63-A-700)
OH-58C: 420 shp (T63-
A-720)
WEIGHTS
empty OH-58A: 1,464 Ib (664 kg)
OH-58C: l,8181b (825
kg)
normal OH-58A: 2,768 Ib (1,255
kg)
OH-58C: 2,890 Ib (1,311
kg)
max takeoff OH-58A: 3,000 Ib (1,362
kg)
OH-58C: 3,200 Ib (1,451
kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m) length fuselage 32 ft 7 in (9.93
m)
overall 40 ft 12 in (12.49
m)
height 9 ft 6 Vi in (2.91 m)
disc area 980.5 ft2 (91.09 m2)
PERFORMANCE
speed never-exceed (Vne): 120
kts (138mph;222km/
h)
max range: 102 kts (117 mph; 188 km/h)
loitering: 49 kts ( 56 mph; 91 km/h)
max climb rate
OH-58A: 1,780 ft/min
(543 m/min) OH-58C: 1,800 ft/min
(549 m/min)
ceiling OH-58A: 18,900 ft (5,760
m)
OH-58C: 18,500 ft (5,640
m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
OH-58A: 13,600 ft (4,145
m)
OH-58C: 13,200 ft (4,025
m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect, at given weights
OH-58A, normal: 8,800 ft
(2,680 m)
OH-58A, max: 6,000 ft
(1,830m) OH-58C, normal: 9,700 ft
(2,955 m) OH-58C, max: 8,200 ft
(2,500 m)
range normal: both 260 nm (298 mi; 481 km)
max, OH-58C: 264 nm
(305 mi; 490 km) armament XM-27 armament kit (7.62-mm minigun) or BGM-71 TOW antitank missiles optional

Cayuse (OH-6)

The OH-6 is a light, multipurpose helicopter that has been adapted for observation, scout, special-operations, antiarmor attack, and Antisubmarine Warfare
(ASW) roles. The OH-6, based on the successful Hughes 269 commercial helicopter, but turbine-powered and enlarged, won the US Army’s 1962-63 competition for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). The OH-6 later developed into the commercial Model 500. The OH-6 features a four-blade fully articulated main rotor with cross-connected flap and feather straps; the light-alloy spar is wrapped with a single piece of light-alloy skin that is shaped into an airfoil.
The slender tailboom extends aft from the roof of the egg-shaped fuselage pod to a narrow, swept fin; the fin extends below the boom and is fitted with a small tail skid. The two-blade, antitorque rotor is mounted at the end of the boom on the left-hand side. On the starboard side is a broad-chord stabilizer held in at a sharp dihedral by a strut that connects it to the fin.
The Allison turboshaft, derated for greater reliability and lower fuel consumption, is carried behind the crew compartment and receives air through a small intake on the cabin roof and exhausts through a nozzle at the aft end of the fuselage pod below the boom. The crew cabin features a glazed nose for maximum forward visibility. Engine access is through clamshell doors at the rear of the fuselage pod. The parallel-skid landing gear has internal pneumatic shock absorbers.
The OH-6 has no integral armament, although it can accept gun pods or grenade launchers. Spanish 500Ms are fitted for Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) with an AN/ASOASl Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) and two Mk 44 lightweight antisubmarine torpedoes.
The OH-6A was often called the Loach by US soldiers in Vietnam, derived from a slurring of the letters LOH.

DEVELOPMENT •

The OH-6′s initial operational capability was in 1966; its first flight was on February 27, 1963. Its production for the US Army ended in 1970 after 1,434 were built; over 300 still serve in the Army National Guard. It is also assembled under license by RACA in Argentina, Breda Nardi in Italy, and Kawasaki in Japan.
The OH-6 is operated in over 20 countries throughout the world, primarily Latin America, the Middle East, and the Far East.

VARIANTS •

YHO-6, OH-6A, OH-6C, Hughes 500 (commercial), 500M (Export Hughes 500, produced under license in Italy, Argentina,Japan, and South Korea), 500MD Defender, Super Cayuse (upgraded) .

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Many US Army OH-6 “Loaches” flew as observation aircraft during the Vietnam War.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Hughes Aircraft (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter)
CREW 2 (pilot, copilot) + 2 troops
ENGINES 1 Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft max power 317 hp (derated to 252.5 shp)
WEIGHTS
empty 1,229 Ib (557 kg)
takeoff design gross: 2,400 Ib
(1,090 kg) max overload: 2,700 Ib
(1,225 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m) length 30 ft 3 % in (9.24 m)
height 8 ft 1 1A in (2.48 m)
disc area 544.6 ft2 (50.6 m*)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 130 kts (150 mph; 241
km/h)
cruise speed 116 kts (134 mph; 216
km/h)
climb rate 1,840 ft/min (560 m/min)
ceiling 15,800 ft (4,815 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
11,800 ft (3,595m) hovering ceiling out of ground effect
7,300 ft (2,225 m) range at 5,000ft (1,525 m) and 2,400 Ib (1,090kg)
330 nm (380 mi; 611 km)
ferry range with approx 200 US gal (757 liters) offuel
l,354nm (1,560 mi; 2,510 km) armament none integral to all variants but can be fitted with: 2 twin 7.62-mm machine-
gun packs or 2 M75 40-mm grenade
launchers or a combination ASW: 2 Mk 44 torpedoes, AN/ASQ-81 MAD

Kiowa Warrior (OH-58D)

The OH-58D (Bell Model 406) is a conversion of the widely deployed OH-58A (Bell Model 206) Kiowa light observation helicopter, produced under the Army Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP). It can perform reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions as well as search, classification, and designation of mobile targets. All AHIP helicopters are being fitted with Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM), antitank missiles, rocket pods,and gun pods. About 80 of these are being modified further to be multipurpose transport and reconnaissance aircraft.
Compared to the basic Kiowa, the OH-58D has a four-blade main rotor, more powerful engine, integrated navigation/attack equipment, and a Mast-Mounted Sight (MMS). As a result, the OH-58D empty weight is within 75 Ib (34 kg) of the OH-58A maximum takeoff weight.
The main rotor has elastomeric bearings and a fiberglass yoke. The rotor’s blades can be folded for transport. A Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS) combines with the four-blade rotor system to provide a much smoother ride than the earlier OH-58 variants. Like its parent’s, the OH-58D’s fuselage is in three sections. Its 650-shp Allison T703-AD-700 turboshaft engine is mounted in a large housing over the cabin. For the Kiowa Warrior upgrade, the engine is fitted with a new diffuser that results in a 15% power increase; the transmission is uprated as well to handle the increased power.
To reduce the aircraft’s Radar Cross Section (RCS), a kit was developed to give the nose a sharper profile, the windshield was tinted, the passenger compartment given a cowling, and the rotor blade cuffs were enlarged and softened.

Cockpit avionics are based on dual

MIL-STD-1553B databuses and feature two Multifunction Displays (MFD), one displaying the vertical situation and the other the horizontal (navigational) information. The AN/ASN-137 Doppler strap-down Inertial Navigation System (INS) is combined with the Litton LR-80 Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) to generate very precise way-point navigation, often arriving within 110 yd (100 m) of a destination 54 nm (62 mi; 100 km) distant. Switches mounted on the control column handgrips permit head-up flying. Among the communications equipment is a secure UHF voice link.
Armament options include various combinations of four AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided, air-to-ground missiles; four
FIM-92 Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS) Infrared (IR)-homing missiles, two Hydra 70 2.75-in (70-mm) rocket pods; or two .50-cal machine guns.
A Thomson-CSF VH-100 Head-Up Display (HUD), license-built by Hamilton Standard, is part of the targeting avionics. A 20-mm gun may be fitted as well as BGM-71 TOW antitank missiles. The Kiowa Warrior upgrade includes the addition of the Single-Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) and flight data recorder.

DEVELOPMENT •

The OH-58D’s initial operational capability was in 1986; its first flight was on October 6, 1983. The US Army had planned to convert at least 477 OH-58As to D standard to operate as “interim LHX” aircraft until the latter program begins production deliveries later in the 1990s; this total has been reduced to 279 funded and an overall goal of 375 conversions that may not be met.
The first OH-58D Kiowa Warriors to be sold for export were 12 ordered by Taiwan in December 1991, with another 14 put on option.
15 Model 406CSs were delivered to Saudi Arabia in October 1987. The helicopter is also flown by Norway, Singapore, and Taiwan.

VARIANTS •

Kiowa (OH-58A/C), Prime Chance (modification for Persian
Gulf), Model 406CS (export version).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Prime Chance conversions were deployed during the Iran-Iraq war against Iranian gunboats and minelaying craft. US Army OH-58Ds were deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operations Desert Shield/ Desert Storm. Saudi 406CS aircraft also operated during the war.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Bell Helicopter Textron
CREW 2 (pilot, copilot) + 2 troops
ENGINES 1 Allison T703-AD-700 turbo-shaft
max power OH-58D: 650 shp;
transmission rating of
510 shp Kiowa Warrior: 750 shp;
transmission rating of
560 shp internalfuel capacity
105.4 US gal (399 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 2,825 Ib (1,281 kg)
useful load 1,335 Ib (606 kg) max takeoff 4,500 Ib (2,041 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 35 ft (10.67 m) length fuselage: 33 ft 10 in
(10.31 m) overall: 42 ft 2 in (12.85m) height to rotor head: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) overall: 12 ft9^4 in (3.9 m) disc area 962 ft* (89.38 m*)
PERFORMANCE
speed never-exceed (Vne): 130
kts (149mph;241 km/
h)
max level at 4,000 ft (1,220m): 128 kts (147
mph; 237 km/h) max cruise: 120 kts (138
mph; 222 km/h) econ cruise at 4,000 ft
(1,220m): 110 kts (127
mph; 204 km/h)
max climb rate
ISA: l,540ft/min (469
m/min) at 95°F (35°C) at 4,000 ft (1,220m): more than
500 ft/min (152
m/min)
vertical climb rate
ISA: 760 ft/min (232
m/min) at 95°F (35°C) at 4,000 ft
(1,220m): more than
500 ft/min (152
m/min)
ceiling 17,200 ft (5,243 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
ISA: 13,800 ft (4,206 m) at 95°F (35°C) at 4,000 ft (1,220m): 10,700ft
(3,261 m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect
ISA: 9,500 ft (2,896 m)
at 95°F (35°C) at 4,000 ft (1,220m): 5,000 ft
(1,524 m)
range 300 nm (345 mi; 556 km)
armament 2 FIM-92 Stinger missiles can be carried
S-76
The S-76 is a commercial helicopter (called Spirit) in limited military service as a transport and in variant form available as a military multirole helicopter. It is used for VIP transport, scout, medical evacuation, liaison, Counterinsurgency
(COIN), and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions.
The S-76 bears a resemblance to the US H-60 Blackhawk series it was developed from. The S-76 has a scaled-down version of the Blackhawk’s rotor system, featuring a fully articulated, forged-titanium main rotor hub with elastomeric bearings and four blades; the blades have a titanium core, are sheathed in composite materials, and have swept tips.
The tail pylon is set high on the fuselage and has a four-blade, composite-material antitorque rotor mounted on the left side. A double-tapered, all-moving horizontal stabilizer is fitted at the base of the tail pylon. The later S-76B and variants have tail pylons with!5%less fin area (taken from the trailing edge, which straightens the profile) and reshaped tailplanes with greater chord.
The sleek, semimonocoque fuselage has a flattened nose sloping gently up to
a stepped windshield. The flight deck is accessible through doors on each side. The main cabin is open to the flight deck and has a constant cross section. Large side doors hinged at the front (or optional sliding doors) provide entry. The lower line of the after half of the fuselage tapers up to the tail pylon. The main-landing-gear legs retract to the rear into fuselage bays under the engines; the nose gear retracts to the rear.
Two turboshaft engines are mounted above the cabin and behind the main rotor mast. Allison- and Turbomeca-powered S-76s have small, raked rectangular intakes faired into the transmission hump and close-set exhausts. PT6B-powered aircraft have much larger engine nacelles set out from the hump on short stubs; each nacelle has its own upright, rectangular intake and exhaust duct.
Military variants of the S-76 have the Sikorsky designation H-76 and are available for both land-based and shipboard service. None are armed with internal weapons, but the AUH-76, H-76, and H-76N are fitted with external armament pylons that carry gun and rocket pods, antitank and air-to-ground missiles, air-to-air missiles, or antisubmarine torpedoes.

DEVELOPMENT •

The S-76′s initial operational capability was in 1979; its first
flight was on March 13, 1977.
The S-76 is operated by Bahrain, Honduras, Hong Kong, Jordan, Philippines, Spain, and Trinidad and Tobago.
VARIANTS • S-76A, S-76A+ (Hong Kong), S-76 Mark II, S-76 Utility (Philippines), S-76B, S-76C (Hong Kong, Spain), S-76D, S-76 (SHADOW/Sikorsky
Helicopter Advanced Demonstrator of
Operator Workload), H-76 Eagle, H-76N
(Navy).

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft
CREW 2 (pilot, copilot) + 12 passengers
ENGINES
S-76A: 2 Allison 250-C30S turboshaft
S-76B: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-36 turboshaft
max power S-76A: 557 shp each
S-76B: 960 shp each
internalfuel capacity
281 US gal (1,064 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty S-76A: 5,600 Ib (2,540 kg)
S-76B: 6,548 Ib (2,970 kg)
max useful load
S-76A: 4,700 Ib (2,132 kg)
S-76B: 5,250 Ib (2,381 kg)
max external load
3,300 Ib (1,497kg) max takeoff S-76A: 10,300 Ib (4,672
kg)
S-76B: 11,400 Ib (5,171
kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 44 ft (13.41 m) length fuselage: 43 ft 4 Va in
(13.22m) overall: 52 ft 6 in (16.0
m)
height 14 ft 5 % in (4.41 m)
disc area 1,520.5 ft2 (141.3 m*) PERFORMANCE
never-exceed speed (Vne)
sealevel:!55 kts(178 mph; 286 km/h)
at altitude: 164 kts (189 mph; 304 km/h)
max cruise 145 kts (167 mph; 269
km/h)
earn cruise S-76A: 125 kts (144 mph;
232 km/h) S-76B: 130 kts (150 mph;
241 km/h) ceiling 15,000 ft (4,575 m) hovering ceiling in ground effect
S-76A: 6,200 ft (1,890m) S-76B: 9,400 ft (2,865 m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect
S-76A: 2,800 ft (853 m) S-76B: 5,800 ft (1,768m)
range S-76A, max load: 404 nm (465 mi; 749 km)
S-76A, max fuel, 8 passengers, offshore equipment: 600 nm (691 mi; 1,112 km)
S-76B, internal fuel, sea
level: 330 nm (380 mi;
611km) S-76B, auxiliary fuel at best altitude: 416 nm (479 mi; 771 km)

Seasprite (SH-2F/Seasprite)

The SH-2F is a US light Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) helicopter, adapted from the earlier HU2K Seasprite utility helicopter. It is part of the Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS I) that is operated from surface combatants that are too small to carry the larger Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk (LAMPS III).
The SH-2F has a four-blade main rotor system with a titanium rotor hub and rotor brake. Most SH-2Fs have aluminum-fiberglass blades; composite-construction blades were fitted beginning with the aircraft delivered in October 1987. The blade pitch is adjusted using a unique midspan, trailing-edge servo flap system.
The four-blade antitorque rotor is mounted at the top of the tail pylon with the rotor plane to port. Slim, strut-braced horizontal stabilizers are fitted on each side of the pylon near the fuselage; a portion of the pylon trailing edge is cambered to port to aid antitorque control.
The SH-2F is powered by two GE turbo-shaft engines mounted on short stubs on eidier side of the main rotor pylon. The exhaust is directed to the side. The later SH-2G is fitted with considerably uprated and more reliable GE T700 turboshaft engines. External fuel capacity is 200 US gal (757 liters). The fuselage is a tapered, semimonocoque structure with a watertight hull. The pilots are seated forward of the main cabin, which holds the ASW system operator’s station and sonobuoy rack. The aircraft can carry three passengers, two litters, or an instructor’s seat and is fitted with a 4,000-lb (1,814-kg) external cargo hook and 600-lb (272-kg) rescue hoist over the starboard door. The retractable main-landing-gear struts have two-wheel units and extend to the sides when lowered, retracting inward and forward into exposed wells; the fixed tail-wheel is located well forward of the tail pylon. For hangar stowage, the main rotor blades fold back and the nose compartment splits into two folding halves.
The avionics fit includes a Canadian Marconi LN-66HP surveillance radar in a drumlike ventral radome located below the cockpit, Teledyne Ryan AN/ASN-123C tactical navigation system, Rospatch AN/ARR-75 sonobuoy receiving set, and dual Collins AN/ARC-159 (V)l UHF communications system.
The Honeywell AN/APN-171 radar altimeter fairings are located on both sides near the tailwheel. Because the SH-2F cannot process acoustical signals on board the aircraft, it is also fitted with a
Rospatch AN/AKT-22(V)6 sonobuoy data link and AN/ASA-26B sonobuoy recorder. The antennas for the General Instruments AN/ALR-66(V)1 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) radar-warning receiver are located in the nose avionics compartment and the trailing edge of the tail pylon. The sonobuoy rack dispenses 15 AN/SSQ:53 DIFAR or AN/SSQ-62 DICASS sonobuoys to port. Eight Mk 25 marine smoke markers are dropped from a forward bay to port of the radome. A stores station on either side carries a single ASW torpedo or a 100-US gal (379-liter) drop tank.

DEVELOPMENT •

The SH-2D’s initial operational capability was in December 1971; its first flight was on July 2, 1959 (HU2K-1). Between 1961 and 1966, 190
HU2K Seasprites were built; the 105 that remained were converted to SH-2F by 1983. Subsequently, 54 new SH-2F helicopters were procured for a total LAMPS
I program of 159; six more requested in FY1987 as SH-2F were built as SH-2G Super Seasprite. Approximately 115 SH-2Fs are being upgraded to SH-2G at the rate of six to eight aircraft per year.
An initial sale of five SH-2Fs to Portugal was announced in May 1989 but fell through; in June, a sale to Pakistan was announced. In September 1992, a $161-million sale of 12 SH-2Fs to Taiwan was announced.

VARIANTS •

HU2K Seasprite, SH-2D,
SH-2F, SH-2F MEF (Middle East Force),
SH-2G Super Seasprite, SH-2H.

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

SH-2F helicopters were aboard Belknap-class cruisers, Kidd-class destroyers, and Knox-class frigates that deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield/ Desert Storm and used for maritime surveillance to enforce the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Kaman Aerospace CREW 3 (2 pilots, 1 ASW systems operator)
ENGINES
SH-2F: 2 General Electric T58-GE-8F
turboshaft
SH-2G: 2 General Electric T700-GE-401 turboshaft
max power SH-2F: 1,350 shp each
SH-2G: 1,690 shp each
internalfuel capacity
276 US gal (1,045 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty, operating
SH-2F: 7,350 Ib (3,334
kg)
SH-2G: 7,710 Ib (3,497 kg)
normal landing weight, 20-minfuel
reserve
SH-2F: 10,000 Ib (4,356
kg)
SH-2G: 10,400 Ib (4,717
kg)
max takeoff SH-2F delivered before October 1985: 12,800
Ib (5,806 kg)
SH-2F delivered after
October 1985: 13,500
Ib (6,123 kg) SH-2G: 13,900 Ib (6,305
kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam SH-2F: 44 ft (13.42 m) SH-2G:44ft4in (13.51m)
length, bladesfolded
38 ft 4 in (11.69m)
length, blades turning
SH-2F: 52 ft 7 in (16.03
m)
SH-2G: 52 ft 9 in (16.08
m)
height 15 ft Vz in (4.58 m)
disc area SH-2F: 1,520.5 ft2 (141.25 m2)
SH-2G: 1,543.4 ft2 (143.44 m2)
PERFORMANCE
max speed at max takeoff weight
SH-2F: 133 kts (153 mph;
246 km/h)
SH-2G: 135 kts (155 mph;
250 km/h) max speed at landing weight
SH-2F: 140 kts (161 mph;
259 km/h) SH-2G: 146 kts (168 mph; 271 km/h) typical cruise speed
130 kts (150 mph; 241
km/h)
econ cruise 120-124 kts (138-143
mph; 222-230 km/h)
climb rate, average gross weight
SH-2F: 2,440 ft/min (744
m/min)
SH-2G: 2,360 ft/min (719
m/min)
climb rate, max takeoff weight
SH-2F: 1,600 ft/min (488
m/min) SH-2G: 1,550 ft/min (472
m/min)
single-engine climb rate
SH-2F: 485 ft/min (148
m/min) SH-2G: 1,260 ft/min (384 m/min) ceiling at average gross weight
SH-2F: 15,250 ft (4,648
m)
SH-2G: 20,600 ft (6,280
m)
ceiling at max takeoff weight
SH-2F: 11,850ft (3,612
m)
SH-2G: 16,700 ft (5,090
m)
Hovering in Ground Effect (HIGE), max takeoff weight, ISA
SH-2F: 10,100 ft (3,078
m)
SH-2G: 12,000 ft (3,658
m)
HIGE, landing weight, ISA
SH-2F: 18,100 ft (5,517 m)
SH-2G: 18,600 ft (5,669
m)
Hovering out of Ground Effect (HOGE), max takeoff weight, ISA
SH-2F: 4,700 ft (1,433m) SH-2G: 6,000 ft (1,829
m)
HOGE, landing weight, ISA
SH-2F: 14,500 ft (4,420
m)
SH-2G: 15,600 ft (4,755
m)
ASWpatrol time on station at 30 nm (35 mi; 56 km), radius ISA, 20-minfuel reserve
with 1 torpedo SH-2F: 2 hr 0 min SH-2G: 2 hr 42 min
with 2 torpedoes
SH-2F: 1 hr 12 min SH-2G: 1 hr 48 min
SAR search time, ISA, 20-minfuel reserve at 30 nm (35 mi; 56 km)
radius SH-2F: 3 hr 0 min SH-2G: 3 hr 42 min
at 100 nm (115 mi; 185 km) radius
SH-2F: 1 hr 30 min SH-2G: 2 hr 18 min
Antiship Surveillance and Targeting (ASST) time on station ISA, 20-min fuel reserve
at 30 nm (35 mi; 56 km) radius
SH-2F: 3 hr 12 min SH-2G: 4 hr 0 min
at 100 nm (115 mi; 185 km) radius
SH-2F: 1 hr 42 min SH-2G: 2 hr 30 min
maxferry range, with 3 external tanks
SH-2F 425 nm (489 mi;
788km)
SH-2G 505 nm (582 mi;
936 km)
armament 2 Mk 46 ASW torpedoes radar AN/APS-69 (LN-66)
surface-search radar EW ALR-66(V)

Sea King/Pelican/Jolly Green Giant (H-3)

The H-3 is a relatively long-range, multipurpose helicopter originally designed for the US Navy’s Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) role, but subsequently modified for combat Search and Rescue (SAR), minesweeping, troop transport, VIP transport, Airborne Early Warning (AEW), and general utility missions. The British Westland Sea King, although derived from the H-3, has a different pow-erplant and avionics.
The H-3 is a high-performance helicopter that set several speed and distance records soon after its first flight. Its large fuel capacity gives it high endurance or long range. Several variants have been produced.
The H-3 series features a fully articulated five-blade main rotor, mounted at the top of the boom; the rotor plane is to
the left. A high-aspect-ratio, strut-braced horizontal stabilizer is fitted to the right of the boom at the same level as the tail rotor hub. Naval variants have folding rotors, land-based variants do not.
The fuselage of the naval ASW SH-3 is boat-shaped. The cabin section ends in a “boat tail” to which the fixed tailwheel is attached. The retractable main-landing-gear units are carried in outrigger pontoons located outboard of the lower fuselage behind the cockpit. The upper half of the fuselage is extended as a shallower semimonocoque structure that continues to the top of the slanting tail; most SH-3s have folding tailbooms to facilitate carrier storage.
The HH-3 Air Force variants have a revised fuselage that is not watertight. The fuselage width remains constant back to a hydraulically operated, full-width rear ramp. The ramp forms the floor of a section that slopes up to a slim boom that extends straight back. A more upright and distinct vertical tail than that of the SH-3 is mounted on the end of the boom.
The HH-3 landing-gear arrangement is tricycle and hence reversed from the SH-3. The nose gear retracts forward; the main gear retracts into large sponsons mounted on the lower fuselage behind the main rotor shaft line.
The US Navy’s SH-3H and comparable foreign ASW models have sonobuoy dispensers, AN/AQS-13 dipping sonar, Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD), surface-search radar, and other submarine-detection gear. Brazilian Navy ASH-3Ds began carrying two AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles in 1991.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Sea King’s initial operational capability was in September 1961; the SH-3′s first flight was on March 11, 1959. It is no longer in production in the United States but is still being built under license by Westland in Britain and by Agusta in Italy. Over 1,100 have been built; the 167th and last Mitsubishi-built SH-3 was delivered in
March 1990.
The SH-3 is being replaced in US Navy

sh-3
U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
service by the SH-60F CV-Helo; the US
Coast Guard’s HH-3F Pelicans are being replaced by the HH-60J. US-produced variants are operated by the US Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard and in about 13 other countries throughout the world.
The naval and some other models are named Sea King; the US Air Force HH-3 series is named Jolly Green Giant; the US
Coast Guard HH-3F SAR aircraft are named Pelican.

VARIANTS •

XHSS-2/YHSS-2, HSS-2/
SH-3A (initial ASW version), CHSS-2/
CH-124 (Canada), HSS-2B (Japanese
license-built ASW), NH-3A (research), RH-3A (minesweeper), VH-3A (USMC White House VIP), HH-3A (USN SAR), CH-3B (US, Danish, Malaysian airforces), CH-3C (USAF), SH-3D (US, Spanish
Navy, Argentina, Brazil/ASW), ASH-3D
(Agusta), VH-3D (VIP), CH-3E, HH-3E Jolly Green Giant (USAF SAR), HH-3F Pelican (USCG SAR), AS-61R (Agusta),
SH-3G, SH-3D AEW, SH-3H (USN ASW),
ASH-3H (Agusta), YSH-3J, Westland Sea
King HAS and HAR/Commando (British
ASW/SAR), Nuri (Malaysian AF). COMBAT EXPERIENCE • The British
Westland Sea King saw extensive service in the 1982 Falklands War.
Five CH-124s deployed to the Persian Gulf in fall 1990 in the destroyer HMCS Athabaskan and the supply ship HMCS Protector. US Navy SH-3G/H helicopters
were also deployed to the Persian Gulf; each US-deployed aircraft carrier had five SH-3Hs and several SH-3Gs from other ships. None were lost in combat, although the 30 carrier-based SH-3s flew 1,800 sorties. No Air Force HH-3s were deployed.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER
Sikorsky Aircraft Agusta SpA, Milan, Italy Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Tokyo, Japan
CREW 4 (2 pilots, 2 ASW systems operators)
ENGINES
SH-3H: 2 General Electric T58-GE-10
turboshaft HH-3H: 2 GE T58-GE-100 turbo-shaft
max power SH-3H: 1,400 shp each
HH-3H: 1,500 shp each
internalfuel capacity
840 US gal (3,180 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty SH-3H: 11,865 Ib (5,382
kg)
HH-3H: 13,255 Ib (6,010
kg)
max takeoff SH-3H for ASW mission: 18,626 Ib (8,449 kg) HH-3H: 22,046 Ib (10,000
kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 62 ft (18.9 m) fuselage length
SH-3H: 54 ft 9 in (16.69 m)
HH-3H: 57 ft 3 in (17.45
m)
height SH-3H: 16 ft 10 in (5.13
m)
HH-3H: 18 ft 1 in (5.51
m)
disc area 3,019 ft* (280.5 m*)
PERFORMANCE
max speed SH-3H: 144 kts (166 mph; 267 km/h) HH-3H: 141 kts (162 mph; 261 km/h)
cruise speed
SH-3H: 118 kts (136 mph;
219 km/h)
HH-3H: 130 kts (150
mph; 241 km/h) climb rate SH-3H: 1,310-2,200 ft/
min (400-670 m/min) ceiling 14,700 ft (4,481 m) hovering ceiling in ground effect
SH-3H: 8,200 ft (2,500 m) HH-3F: 9,710 ft (2,960 m) hovering ceiling out of ground effect
SH-3H: 3,700 ft (1,130 m) range 540 nm (621 mi; 1,000
km)
armament 2 Mk 46 torpedoes in SH-3H; varies among license-built examples

Seahawk (SH-60)

The Seahawk, a multipurpose US Navy adaptation of the UH-60 Blackhawk tactical transport helicopter, was developed for Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. The Seahawk is the helicopter component of the Navy’s ship-based Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS) III, an over-the-horizon ASW and Antiship Surveillance and Targeting (ASST) system. A modified Seahawk, the SH-60F, is replacing SH-3s as the carrier-based inner-zone ASW helicopter.
The Seahawk has a forged titanium main rotor hub with elastomeric bearings and four blades; the blades have a titanium core, are sheathed in composite materials, and have tips swept at 20°. The main rotor shaft has a brake, and the blades are power-folded.
The tail pylon has a four-blade, composite-material antitorque rotor mounted on the right side and canted at 20° to increase vertical lift. The large, rectangular, variable-incidence stabilator is fitted near the base of the pylon and can set at +34° during hovering and —6° for autorotation. It also adds lift during cruise flight. The tail pylon has power-assisted folding that swings it to the left for stowage. The Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) was expanded from that in the Blackhawk, adding an automatic altitude hold and approach to hover.
The SH-60′s two turboshaft engines are mounted over the fuselage, separated from each other by the rotor drivetrain and transmission. The engines are uprated and “marinized” to resist corrosion. The aircraft can refuel during hover.
The fixed main-landing-gear legs trail back from a mount located below the cockpit; a second attachment point behind the sliding cockpit door bears the shock-absorbing strut that is fitted to the wheel hub. The fixed tailwheel is located just behind the cabin, considerably farther forward than in the Blackhawk and resulting in a wheelbase identical to that
of the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I).
The landing gear is also lighter than that of the Blackhawk.
The fuselage has a side-by-side, two-seat flight deck forward; the pilot is seated to the starboard and the Airborne Tactical Officer (ATO) on the port. The Sensor Operator’s (SO) position is located in the aft starboard side of the main cabin. The aircraft’s electronics and sensors are linked and subdivided into four groups: navigation, mission avionics, data handling and display, and communications. Navigation equipment includes the Teledyne Ryan AN/APN-217 Doppler navigation radar, Honeywell AN/APN-194(V) radar altimeter, and Collins TACAN and UHF direction-finding equipment.
Mission avionics include the Texas Instruments AN/APS-124 360° search radar fitted under the flight deck, the Rospatch (now FlightLine) AN/ARR-75 sonobuoy receiving set, and the Ray-dieon AN/ALQ-142 omnidirectional Electronic Support Measures (ESM). A 25-tube pneumatic sonobuoy launcher is installed in the port side of the fuselage aft of the single cabin window.
An IBM AN/UYS-1 (V) 2 Proteus acoustic processor is linked to the ARR-75 and the AN/AYK-14 general-purpose digital computer. Sensor data is initially processed on board, then relayed to the Sea-hawk’s “mother” ship over the Sierra Research AN/ARQ-44 data link. The Sea-hawk thus can act either as the forward-deployed “eyes and ears” of the comprehensive shipboard ASW and ASST processing center or as an independent unit. The aircraft’s offensive armament is one or two Mk 46 lightweight ASW torpedoes.
The Norwegian AGM-119 Penguin short-range, antiship missile is being procured for the ASST mission.
Several Seahawks operating in the Persian Gulf in 1987-88 were fitted with dorsal and ventral AN/ALQ-144 Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM), AN/ALE-39 chaff dispensers on the port side of the cabin, Loral AN/AAR-47 electro-optical missile-warning system, and M60 7.62mm machine guns in both cabin doors. Hellenic Navy S-70Bs operating from Hydra-class frigates will be fitted with the Litton AN/ALR-606(V)2 electronic support measures system as well as the Penguin antiship missile.

DEVELOPMENT •

The SH-60′s initial operational capability was in 1983; its first flight was on December 12, 1979. Still in production with over 470 aircraft ordered for the US Navy and four other navies. Six SH-60Bs were delivered to the Spanish V/STOL carrier Principe de As-turias in January 1989 at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland.
In addition to the US Navy, the S-60, or its commercial variant S-70, is flown by Australia, Greece, Japan, Spain, and Taiwan.

VARIANTS •

SH-60B, Quick Reaction Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR), SH-60F CV-HELO Ocean Hawk, HH-60H
Rescue Hawk (USN SAR), HH-60J Jay-
hawk (USCG), VH-60A (USMC White
House VIP), S-70 (military exports S-70A
and S-70B), S-70B-2 (Australia), S-70B-3/
SH-60J (Japan), S-70B-6 (Greece),
S-70C(M)-1 (Taiwan Navy “commercial”).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

12 SH-60Bs deployed to the Persian Gulf during 1987-88 and flew an average of over 100 hours per month, according to the US Navy.
34 US Navy SH-60Bs and three Australian S-70B-9s operated in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm; one was lost during the seven-week war to noncombat causes. HH-60Hs were deployed in Saudi Arabia for combat SAR.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 3 (pilot, copilot, sensor operator)
ENGINES 2 General Electric T700-GE-401 turboshaft
max power 1,713 shp each internalfuel capacity
360 US gal (1,361 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 13,648 Ib (6,204 kg)
mission gross weight
ASW: 20,244 Ib (9,183 kg) ASST: 18,373 Ib (8,334 kg)
max takeoff 21,884 Ib (9,927 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m) length operating: 64 ft 10 in
(19.76m)
folded: 40 ft 11 in (12.47
m)
width operating: 53 ft 8 in (16.36m) folded: 10 ft 8 ‘A in (3.26
m)
height operating: 17 ft 0 in (5.18
m)
folded: 13 ft 3 V2 in (4.04
m)
disc area 2,262 ft2 (210.15 m*)
PERFORMANCE
never-exceed speed (VNE)
sea level: 180 kts (207
mph; 334 km/h) at 4,000 ft (1,220m): 171 kts 197 mph; 317 km/h)
dash speed sea level: 128 kts (147 mph; 237 km/h)
at 5,000 ft (1,524m),
tropical day: 126 kts (145 mph; 233 km/h)
max climb rate
sea level, ISA conditions:
1,330 ft/min (405
m/min) sea level, 90°F(32°C): 700 ft/min (213 m/min)
ceiling 13,800 ft (4,206 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect
ISA conditions: 6,500 ft
(1,981 m) tropical day conditions: 4,200ft (1,280m) hovering ceiling out of ground effect
ISA conditions: 3,400 ft
(1,036 m) tropical day conditions: 1,500 ft (457 m)
range at max takeoff weight, econ cruise, no reserves
internal fuel
sea level: 437 nm (503
mi; 810 km) at 4,000 ft (1,220m):
484 nm (557 mi; 897
km)
with auxiliary fuel
sea level: 630 nm (725
mi; 1,167 km) at 4,000 ft (1,220m):
678 nm (781 mi; 1,256
km)
armament 2 Mk 46 torpedoes radar AN/APS-124 360° search
AN/APN-217 Doppler
(HH-60H/J)

Raven (H-23/UH-12)

The UH-12 (the H-23 Raven in US Army service) is an early-generation helicopter still in limited military and civilian service as an observation and light utility helicopter.
The UH-12 has a two-bladed main rotor with counterbalance weights, a two-bladed tail rotor on the right side of the pipelike tailboom opposite a stabilizer, twin-skid landing gear, and a bubble or “goldfish bowl” cockpit. The tailboom has a reinforcing strut to the top of the engine frame, which is set just behind the cockpit.
No armed versions have been manufactured.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Raven’s initial operational capability was in 1950; its first flight was in November 1947. It is no longer in production or in US military service, but about 40 remain in military service in Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Mexico, South Korea, and Paraguay.

VARIANTS •

Model 360 (prototype), UH-12A/HTE-1/H-23A Raven, UH-
12B/HTE-2/H-23B, UH-12C/H-23C, UH-12D/H-23D, UH-12E/OH-23G/CH-112 (UH-12E/OH-23F, CH-112 [OH-23
in Canadian service]), UH-12E4/
OH-23F, UH-12L4.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Hiller
CREW 1 + 2 passengers ENGINES 1 Lycoming VO-540 piston max power 340 hp
WEIGHTS
empty 1,759 Ib (798 kg)
gross 2,800 Ib (1,270kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 35 ft 5 in (10.8 m) length fuselage: 28 ft 6 in (8.69
m)
overall: 40 ft 8 in (12.4
m)
height 9 ft 9 in (2.98 m)
PERFORMANCE
max speed 83 kts (96 mph; 154 km/ h)
ceiling 16,207 ft (4,940 m) range 365 nm (420 mi; 676 km)

Huey/Iroquois (UH-1)

The UH-1, popularly called the Huey, is a general-purpose, multirole helicopter that has been produced in greater numbers and flown by more countries than any other helicopter in the West. The Huey has been adapted for air assault, gunship, medical evacuation, Search and Rescue (SAR), Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), and general utility missions.
Both single- and twin-engine variants are in widespread service. A three-engine
prototype was test-flown but not produced. The main single-engine variants are the UH-1B (Bell Model 204) and UH-1D/H (Bell Model 205). The two-blade, semirigid, all-metal main rotor has a stabilizer bar mounted above and at right angles to the blades and an under-slung, feathering axis head. The rotor is mounted on the left side of the tail rotor pylon. The rectangular horizontal stabilizer in the tailboom, ahead of the anti-torque rotor, is interconnected with the cyclic control and acts as a compensating elevator.
The single turboshaft engine is mounted in a slender housing behind the main rotor mast. The exhaust nozzle is tilted slightly upward.
The semimonocoque fuselage has a short nose, extensive glazing (including “chin” windows for look-down visibility) around the cockpit, and doors on both sides. The cockpit is open to the main cabin, which has large, rearward-sliding doors on both sides. The main cabin can carry troops in jump seats or litters in fold-down racks. Landing gear is parallel skids on tubular struts, with a tail skid at the end of the tailboom.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Huey’s initial operational capability was in 1958; first
flight of the XH-40 was on October 22, 1956. Over 10,100 UH-ls have been built,
and it is still in production by Agusta-Bell of Italy and Fuji of Japan and still in service with all US military forces and over 55 other countries.

VARIANTS •

X/YH-40, HU-1, HU-1A, HU-1B, UH-1C, UH-1D, UH-1E (USMC),
UH-1F (USAF), UH-1H, UH-1H Upgrade, EH-1H Quick Fix IA/IB (US Army Security Agency), EH-1U/EH-1X Quick Fix IIA, HH-1K (USN SAR/SEAL), UH-1L (USN), UH-1M, UH-lN/Model 212, UH-1P (special operations), UH-1V, Bell/Lycoming Fleet/Service Life Extension Program, T800 test bed, CH-118 (Canada), AB204/205 (Agusta-Bell),
204B-2/HU-1H Kai (Japan-Fuji), Bell 533 (three-engine research), AH-1G HueyCobra.
The Swedish designation for their
AB205 aircraft is HKP-3.

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

In their assault role, Hueys have seen combat service with US forces in the Vietnam War (where the unarmed variants were known as Slicks) and in the 1983 operation in Grenada. They have also served in the Mideast in Israeli combat and in a number of other combat actions throughout the world. As a gunship, the Huey was used in Vietnam until the AH-1 Cobra series replaced it.
US Army UH-1 Hs were deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Shield. During Desert Storm, three UH-ls were lost, all to noncombat causes.
In February 1989, the UN Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG) announced the purchase of eight AB205 helicopters to support their peacekeeping operations in Namibia. The aircraft were withdrawn when Namibia completed its transition to independence in March 1990.
In September 1989, 20 UH-lHs were
flown by cargo aircraft to Colombia to bolster antidrug forces in that country. The speedup in delivery of an existing order came after the assassination of a prominent presidential candidate and former guerrilla leader.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER
Bell Helicopter Textron Agusta SpA, Milan, Italy Fuji Heavy Industries, Tochigo, Japan
CREW 2 (pilot, copilot); crewman optional + 11-14 troops
ENGINES 1 Lycoming T53-L-13 turbo-shaft
max power l,400shp
internalfuel capacity
211 US gal (799 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty operating
5,550 Ib (2,517 kg) max useful load
3,950 Ib (1,792 kg) max sling load
4,000 Ib (1,814 kg) max gross 9,500 Ib (4,309 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 48 ft (14.63 m)
length 41 ft 10 % in (13.77 m) height 13 ft 5 in (4.08 m)
disc area 1,809.6 ft2 (168.1 m2)
PERFORMANCE
never-exceed (Vne), max level, max cruise, and econ cruise speeds
110 kts (127mph;204 km/h)
max climb rate
l,600ft/min (488
m/min)
service ceiling
12,700 ft (3,871 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect, standard day
11,100ft (3,383m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect, 9TF (3?C)
5,000ft (1,524m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect, standard day
6,000 ft (1,829m)
range sea level, standard tanks:
266 nm (306 mi; 493 km)
range at 4,000 ft (1,120 m) with auxiliary tanks: 675 nm (777 mi; 1,251 km)

Huey/Iroquois (UH-1N)

The UH-1N Huey is the twin-engine version of the Huey series of general-purpose helicopters.
The “Twin-Pac” turboshaft installation consists of two turbines driving a single output shaft, either being able to drive the rotor if the other fails. The turbines are mounted outboard of the main rotor mast with the nozzles carried side by side in a single housing. All other features of the Huey UH-1N are identical to the basic Huey.

DEVELOPMENT •

The initial operational capability of the twin-engine Huey was in 1970; its first flight was in April 1969. It is still in production in Canada and by Agusta-Bell of Italy and Fuji of Japan and still in service with all US military forces except the Army.
As the Bell 212/412 and the Agusta-Bell AB212/AB212ASW/AB412 Griffon, the twin-engine variant is in service with numerous other countries. More than 1,500 212s and 250 4-blade 412s had been produced by 1992. Helikopter Service A/S of Sola, Norway, assembled 18 Bell 412SPs for the Royal Norwegian Air Force for delivery between late 1987 and April 1990.
In May 1990, Bell Textron and the Argentine firm Chincul agreed to license production of the Bell 212 and 412SP variants. In October 1990, Thailand announced a $330-million contract for 50 more Bell 412SP helicopters.
Poland became the first eastern European nation to order a Twin Huey, taking delivery of two 412s in 1991.
Canada’s National Defense Department ordered 100 412HPs in April 1992 under a contract estimated at Canfl billion. Aircraft deliveries will run from 1994 to 1997.
Over 65 countries throughout the world, in addition to the United States, operate the several Huey twin-engine variants.

VARIANTS •

UH-lN/Model 212 (USAF, USN, Canada), Model 412, 412HP (High Performance), AB212ASW (Agusta-built ASW), Griffon/AB412 (Agusta), Model 214, AH-1J SeaCobra (Bell Model 209).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Hueys saw extensive combat service with US forces in Vietnam and Grenada. The Israelis have used them in the Middle East.
US Marine Corps UH-lNs were deployed to Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Shield. Two UH-lNs flying from the USS Okinawa (LPH 3) were lost in the northern Arabian Sea in October 1990, and one from the USS Tripoli (LPH 10) crashed into the Pacific in December while the ship was en route to the Persian Gulf.
During Operation Desert Storm, the UH-lNs were the Marine Corps’ principal light utility helicopter. Some were fitted with Nile Eagle Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR)/laser designator pods originally developed for the Aquila Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) and used to designate targets at night. During Desert Storm, 50 Marine Corps UH-lNs—30 flying from shore bases and 20 from amphibious ships—flew 1,016 sorties.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Mirabel, Quebec Agusta SpA, Milan, Italy CREW 2 (pilot, copilot); crewman optional + 11-14 troops
ENGINES
UH-1N: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3B turboshaft
412: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6T-3B-1 turboshaft
412HP: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6T-3D turboshaft
max power 1,800 shp total, derated
to 1,290 shp (UH-1N)
or to 1,400 shp (412)
internalfuel capacity standard
UH-1N: 215 US gal (814
liters)
412: 330 US gal (1,249 liters)
with optional auxiliary fuel
UH-1N: 395 US gal
(1,495 liters)
412: 494 US gal (1,870 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty operating
UH-1N: 5,997 Ib (2,720 kg) 412: 6,470 Ib (2,935 kg) 412HP: 6,810 Ib (3,089 kg)
max useful load
UH-1N: 5,033 Ib (2,283
kg)
412: 5,390 Ib (2,445 kg) max sling load
5,000 Ib (2,268 kg) max gross UH-1N: 11,200 Ib (5,080
kg)
412: ll,9001b (5,398kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam UH-1N: 48 ft (14.63 m) 412: 46 ft (14.02m)
length 41 ft 10 % in (13.77 m) height 13 ft 5 in (4.08 m)
disc area UH-1N: 1,809.6 ft2 (168.1 m2)
412: I,661.0ft2 (154.4
m2)
PERFORMANCE
never-exceed (VNE), max level, max cruise, and econ cruise speeds
UH-1N: 100 kts (115 mph; 185 km/h) max sea-level cruise
412: 124 kts (143 mph; 230 km/h)
range cruise
118 kts (136 mph; 219
km/h)
max climb rate
412: 1,420 ft/min (433
m/min) 412HP: 1,350 ft/min (411
m/min)
service ceiling
412: 13,200 ft (4,023 m) 412HP: 16,500 ft (5,029 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect, standard day
UH-1N, max takeoff weight: 4,800 ft (1,463 m)
412 at 10,500-lb (4,762kg) takeoff weight: 9,200 ft (2,805 m)
412HPatll,900-lb (5,398-kg) takeoff
weight: 10,200 ft (3,109 m)
hovering ceiling in ground effect, 93°F (3?C)
412: 2,500 ft (762 m) 412HP: 6,200 ft (1,890m)
hovering ceiling out of ground effect, standard day
412HP: 5,200 ft (1,585m)
range
sea level, standard tanks UH-1N: 231 nm (266 mi;
428km) 412: 354 nm (408 mi; 656
km)
412HP: 328 nm (380 mi;
607 km) at 4,000ft (1,120m) with auxiliary tanks
UH-1N: 428 nm (493 mi; 793 km)
412: 590 nm (679 mi; 1,093 km)
412HP: 570 nm (656 mi; 1,055 km)
412 with max payload at 10,500ft (3,200 m) and cruising at 118 kts (136 mph, 219km/h):375 nm (432 mi; 695 km)

Blackhawk (UH-60)

The Blackhawk is a multipurpose helicopter that serves as the US Army’s principal tactical transport helicopter (replacing the UH-1 Huey series). The UH-60 has been adapted for medical evacuation, reconnaissance, night operations, Search and Rescue (SAR), Electronic Warfare/Electronic Intelligence (EW/ELINT), and general utility mis-

Blackhawk UH-60
U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
sions, with naval variants employed for Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) and SAR.
The Blackhawk has a forged-titanium main rotor hub with elastomeric bearings and four blades; the blades have a titanium core, are sheathed in composite materials, and have swept tips. The tail pylon has a four-blade, composite-material tail rotor mounted on the right side and canted at 20° to increase vertical lift. The large stabilator has forward swept trailing edges and is fitted near the base of the pylon; it can be pitched up to 40° during takeoff, hovering, and landing. The tailplane design also adds lift during cruise flight. The fixed main-landing-gear legs trail back from a point located below the cockpit; a second attachment point behind the half-door bears the shock-absorbing strut that is fitted to the wheel. The fixed tailwheel is fitted well aft of the cabin, ahead of the pylon-fold hinge.
The UH-60′s twin engines are mounted over the fuselage, separated from each other by the rotor drivetrain and transmission. The rotor and engine installation is close to the fuselage; the rotor shaft can be lowered to allow shipment in transport aircraft as small as a Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
The fuselage has a side-by-side, two-seat flight deck forward, open to the passenger/car3go cabin, 3which has a volume of 410ff (11.61m3). Normal troop load-out is 11, but high-density seating permits 14 troops to be carried. For self-protection, 7.62-mm machine guns are fitted on pintle mounts at each cabin door.
The UH-60 has a high crashworthiness. The semimonocoque fuselage is designed to resist deforming in a lateral crash at 30 ft/sec (9.1 m/sec) and a vertical crash at 38 ft/sec (11.5 m/sec). It can also withstand a combined force of 20 g forward and 10 g downward. The main rotor blades are designed to have a 30-minute life after having the main spar severed by a 23-mm shell. The aircraft
also has low-reflectivity paint and a Hover Infrared Suppression System (HIRSS) to reduce its infrared signature, a Sanders AN/ALQ-144 IR countermeasures set,and an E-Systems AN/APR-39(V) 1 radar-warning system; chaff and flare launchers provide deception.
Detachable External Stores Support System (ESSS) pylons can be fitted to points above the cabin doors. Up to four fuel tanks carrying a total of 1,360 US gal (5,148 liters) may be mounted for self-deployment up to 1,200 nm (1,380 mi; 2,220 km) away. The ESSS pylons can also carry rockets, four Volcano antitank mine dispensers, or up to 16 Hellfire antitank missiles. An external cargo hook will carry up to 8,000 Ib (3,629 kg); typical sling loads include a 105-mm howitzer and 50 rounds of ammunition.

DEVELOPMENT •

The UH-60′s initial operational capability was in 1978. Its first flight was on October 17, 1974, as a competitor in the US Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) program, which selected a successor to the Huey.
The 1,000th production helicopter was delivered to the Army in October 1988. It is still in production, and Sikorsky has a contract to develop, build, and test the MH-60K special-operations Blackhawk.
The S-70C commercial variant has been exported to China, Taiwan, and Thailand. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is producing 64 Japanese UH-60Js, the first of which was delivered in 1991. The Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force ordered two S-70As in early 1992 for US$23.8 million.
38 Australian S-70A-9 aircraft were assembled by Hawker de Havilland; the first rolled out in April 1988. Also in 1988,
Saudi Arabia ordered 13 S-70A-1 “Desert Hawks” from Sikorsky that were delivered in 1990.
In September 1990, South Korea announced plans to coproduce approximately 100 UH-60Ps. After years of competition, Turkey announced an $855-million contract in September 1992 in which Sikorsky would supply 25 UH-60s from its production facility in the United States and Turkish aviation facilities in Murted would coproduce 50.
The UH-60 is flown by the USAF and Army along with four Middle East nations, seven Asian nations, Australia, Colombia, and Turkey.

VARIANTS •

UH-60A, UH-60A Credible Hawk (USAF updated to MH-60G Pave Hawk), UH-60L, UH-60P (South
Korea), UH-60M (development only), EH-60C Quick Fix (US Army EW/ ELINT), HH-60A/D/E Night Hawk
(USAF, never operational), MH-60G
Pave Hawk/MH-60K (special mission), CH-60 (USMC proposed), YEH-60B (canceled prototype), Embassy Hawk (European contingency aircraft), S-70 (export/commercial), S-70A-1 Desert Hawk (Royal Saudi Land Forces Army
Aviation Command/RSLAV), S-70A-9
(Australian AF), S-70/UH-60J (Japanese
Air Self-Defense Force/JASDF), WS-70A
(Westland license-built).

COMBAT EXPERIENCE •

Blackhawks were used during the US landings in Grenada in October 1983 and the military ouster of General Noriega in Panama in December 1989. A total of 25 UH-60s were damaged during the operation in Panama. All but one were back in service within a day.
During Operation Desert Storm, 489 UH-60s (46% of total Army inventory) were deployed to Saudi Arabia. A total of 44,000 flight hours were logged by the UH-60s fleet.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER Sikorsky Aircraft CREW 3 (pilot, copilot, crew chief) + 14 troops
ENGINES 2 General Electric T700-GE-700 turboshaft
max power 1,622 shp each
(transmission rating is
2,800 shp)
continuous 1,324 shp internal fuel capacity
360 US gal (1,361 liters)
WEIGHTS
empty 10,622 Ib (4,818 kg)
takeoff mission
17,323 Ib (7,858 kg)
max takeoff 20,250 Ib (9,185 kg)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m) length 50 ft (15.26 m) without
refueling probe height 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
disc area 2,262 ft2 (210.2 m2)
PERFORMANCE
never exceed speed (Vne)
194 kts (225 mph; 361 km/h)
max cruise speed
sea level: 160 kts (184
mph; 296 km/h) hot and high (density altitude of 4,000 ft/1,219 m, 95°F/35°C): 145 kts (167 mph; 269
km/h)
econ cruise speed, hot and high
137 kts (158 mph; 254
km/h)
climb rate 1,600 ft/min (488
m/min) ceiling 19,000 ft (5,791 m) hover ceiling in ground effect
standard day 5,300 ft (1,615m)
hot and high 3,600 ft
(1,097m)
hover ceiling out ofground effect
standard day 10,400 ft (3,170 m)
hot and high 5,600 ft (1,705m)
range max takeoff weight, max
internal fuel: 324 nm (373 mi; 600 km)
with 460 US gal (1,741
liters) external fuel:
880 nm (1,012 mi; 1,630 km)
with 1,360 US gal (5,148 liters) external fuel: 1,200 nm (1,380 mi; 2,220 km) armament guns, Hellfire missiles, mine dispensers, rockets optional

Osprey (V-22)

The Osprey is a Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (VSTOL) aircraft being developed for a variety of missions. It is designed to combine the independence from airfields and the hover capability of helicopters with the relatively high speed of conventional aircraft. The V-22 design evolved from the Bell XV-15 technology demonstration aircraft. The multiuse air-praft would be deployed for troop carrier, escort/gunship aircraft, combat Search and Rescue (SAR), Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), Air Force special operations missions, and possibly Airborne Early
Warning (AEW). The Osprey has pivoting pods mounting Allison T406-AD-400 turboprops that drive large, three-blade, graphite-epoxy rotors in opposite rotations to provide both lift and thrust. These pods are located at the tips of the straight, high wing and are cross-connected by a midwing transmission, so that a single engine can turn both rotors if necessary. The pods tilt to a vertical position for VTOL, transitioning to a conventional alignment for cruise flight. Intermediate angles may be selected.
The forward-swept, composite-material wing has two sections on the trailing edge. The wing is carried on a titanium ring above the fuselage that allows the entire wing to traverse 90° to align with the fuselage for stowage.
The graphite-epoxy tail section consists of large endplate fins that have much less ventral than dorsal area; each fin has a rudder set in the upper half of the trailing edge. The stubby horizontal stabilizer is mounted on the fuselage with an elevator along the entire trailing edge. In order to fold the Osprey into a compact

Bell Boeing V-22

BELL BOEING

package smaller than the SH-3 Sea King, the horizontal surfaces are reduced by 25%-30% and controlled by a GE triple redundant, digital Fly-by-Wire (FEW) flight control system that has triple Primary Flight Control System (PFCS) processors for the control surfaces and triple Automatic FCS (AFCS) processors for stability augmentation.
The Allison turboprops have intake screens and Infrared (IR) suppressors on the exhausts, and rotor brakes. They are equipped with full-authority digital electronic control. The fuselage is relatively conventional in layout but is made almost entirely of graphite-epoxy composites. It is designed to be crashworthy, although weight-reduction measures have reduced the level of protection. The flight deck will be protected against Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare effects through a slight internal overpressure.
The Osprey features a flight deck with side-by-side seating forward of an unobstructed, square-section main cabin. A cabin door is located forward, on the starboard side. The rear ramp is fitted in two sections and forms the bottom of the angled, “beavertail” rear fuselage. Cargo can be slung from one or two external hooks. The short, two-wheel main-landing-gear struts retract into the spon-sons; the two-wheel nose gear folds to the rear under the cockpit.
The FCS, avionics, and displays are linked through triple redundant MIL-STD-1553B databuses; the aircraft has a built-in Vibration, Structural Life, and Engine Diagnostic (VSLED) system. The flight deck is integrated through a Cockpit Management System (CMS) that includes two AN/AYK-14 fully redundant mission computers, four Bendix Multifunction Displays (MFD), and two Control Display Units (CDU). The controls consist of a thrust/power lever, a cyclic lever, and the rudder pedals.
The radar is the Texas Instruments AN/APQ-168 terrain-avoidance/terrain-following radar; a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) turret is fitted under the chin. The MFD can display a digital moving map system. The pilots will wear an integrated helmet display system that includes Night Vision Goggles (NVG) similar to a Head-Up Display (HUD), and FLIR output; the NVG, FLIR, and a gun turret would be slaved through the helmet. Electronic Support Measures (ESM) include the Honeywell AN/AAR-47 missile-warning system. The V-22 can be armed with a single, integral multibarrel gun and can carry a variety of weapons externally on sponson attachment points.

DEVELOPMENT •

The Osprey is one of several controversial weapons systems of the early 1990s whose ultimate production is more dependent on political rather than military considerations. The V-22 is under development; the first prototype rolled out in late May 1988. Its first flight (hover mode only) was on March 19,1989, after a nine-month delay, and its first full-conversion flight was on September 14, 1989. Four out of five prototypes were flying by the end of 1990; the fifth crashed during its maiden flight on June 11,1991. The aircraft began rocking after hovering for about one minute; although the two crew members were not seriously injured, the aircraft was heavily damaged.
Flight testing stopped while the cause of the erratic flight and crash was investigated, eventually being attributed to incorrect wiring during manufacturing of the 120-wire wiring bundle for the cockpit interfaces, resulting in false information being fed to the flight control computers. Subsequently, the other four were grounded after more than 1,000 takeoffs and landings and 536 flight hours. Test-flying resumed on September 10, 1991. Bell Helicopter Textron is responsible for the design and fabrication of the wings, engine pods, and prop rotors. Boeing Helicopter Co. is responsible for the fuselage, including the avionics and cockpit design. Grumman Corp. designed the tail group as subcontractor.
In April 1989, the Bush administration eliminated all procurement funding for the V-22 in the FY1990-91 Biennial Budget. Before the cancellation, the Marine Corps had planned to acquire 552 aircraft. In addition, the aircraft’s other potential roles were thought to bring the requirement to a total of 900-1,200 aircraft. Altogether, plans included 55 for Air Force use, 552 for Marine Corps use, and 50 for the Navy combat SAR role plus possibly 200-300 for other Navy roles.
The US Army vacillated on its procurement plans for the Osprey, eventually abandoning plans for 231 aircraft when the LHX scout helicopter was placed at a higher priority.
Supporters in Congress managed to secure $255 million in Research and Development (R&D) funding for FY1990. For FY1991, funding consisted of $237 million in R&D and $165 million in advance procurement funds for production-level aircraft that are used in operational testing. In June 1991, the Navy awarded a $36.5-million contract to Allison to improve its T406 engine and $163 million in two contracts to Bell-Boeing, including $88 million that had been rescinded in earlier actions.
An argument to continue developing the aircraft has been to exploit a technological area that the United States clearly leads. Persistent congressional support and the aging of the CH-46 led to further funding for low-rate production.
Japan included in its FY1991-95 five-year plan a request for two V-22s in FY1994 and two in FY1995 (SAR variant) if the aircraft is procured by US services. But funding cutbacks and delays meant no V-22s were procured under that five-year plan.

VARIANTS •

JVX (developmental), EV-22 (US Army Special Electronic Missions) , HV-22 (USN SAR), CV-22 (USAF), MV-22 (USMC), SV-22 (USN ASW), WV-22 (USNAEW).

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURER
Bell Helicopter Textron Boeing Helicopter CREW 3 (2 pilots, crewman) + 24 troops
ENGINES 2 Allison T406-AD-400 turboprop
max power 6,150 shp each internalfuel capacity
standard: 13,650 Ib
(6,192 kg)
with auxiliary: 29,650 Ib (13,449 kg)
WEIGHTS
empty 31,772 Ib (14,411 kg)
max internal load
10,000 Ib (4,536 kg) max sling load
2 hooks combined: 15,000 Ib (6,804 kg)
2 separate hooks:
10,000 Ib (4,536 kg)
each
max takeoff 47,500 Ib (21,546 kg)
VTOL
55,000 Ib (24,947 kg) STOL
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 38 ft (11.58 m)-length 56 ft 10 in (17.33m)
height 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
total disc area
2,268.2 ft2 (210.7 m*)
PERFORMANCE
dash speed 315 kts (363 mph; 584
km/h)
cruise speed 275 kts (317 mph; 510
km/h)
ceiling 30,000 ft (9,144 m)
hovering ceiling out ofground effect at 91.AF (3fC) at 44,980 Ib (20,403 kg)
3,000 ft (914 m) combat radius
HV-22 SAR, with 880-lb
(400-kg) payload: 460
nm (530 mi; 852 km) MV-22, VTOLweight of
44,980 Ib (20,403 kg)
with 8,300-lb (3,765-kg) payload: 220 nm (253 mi; 408 km); with 24 troops or 6,000-lb (2,722-kg) payload: 430 nm (495 mi; 797 km) MV-22, STOL weight of
55,000 Ib (24,948 kg) with 12,000-lb (5,444
kg) payload: 1,085 nm (1,249 mi; 2,011km) range 2,100 nm (2,417 mi;
3,889 km) ferry

Comanche (RAH-66)

The Comanche program is designed to replace the US Army’s aging fleet of helicopters, particularly the OH-58 and AH-1. After some cutting back of the number of aircraft ultimately to be built, the program was delayed until at least the late 1990s, with funding directed for research and development.
A team composed of Boeing Helicopters and Sikorsky Aircraft, along with Germany’s Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) and a team made up of Bell Helicopters Textron and McDonnell Douglas Helicopters won the contract for the helicopter.
The design calls for a sharklike air-frame with a five-blade bearingless main rotor with a high hinge offset to greatly improve maneuverability. In September 1990, MBB was selected to design and produce the Comanche’s main rotor, a design based on a prototype system that has a relatively high 9.5% hinge offset. A split torque transmission was adopted to reduce complexity. Also, the rotor head design was changed from a one-piece Pentaflex design to a type that has modular fittings for each rotor blade, permitting a much easier removal of a single blade in case of damage. The Comanche design also has an eight-blade fan-in-fin (also known as a Fantail) antitorque rotor and a T-tail.
To power the Comanche, the Army funded an effort in July 1985 to develop a 1,200-shp, advanced-technology engine (to be used in pairs in the LHX). Following a competition, a design by the Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), a joint venture of Allison and Garrett, was chosen. The T800-LHT-T800 powerplant is a dual-centrifugal-compressor design. Following initial design, the engine’s output was raised by 12% (to 1,350 shp) to compensate for an increase in empty weight.
Infrared (IR) signature suppression is accomplished by mixing the engine exhaust with cool air drawn through grilles behind the engine.
The Boeing Aerospace/Hamilton Standard Fly-by-Wire (FEW) flight system has two modes: Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), an altitude-priority mode in which the flight system holds the last-selected altitude even during pilot maneuvering, as in Nap of the Earth (NOE) flight, and Velocity Stabilization (VelStab), a ground- or airspeed-priority mode. Development of other automatic modes was deferred in 1992. Antitorque pedals have been eliminated, the yaw control being provided by twisting the right-hand sidestick controller.
A distinctive feature of the Co-manche’s airframe design is a composite-material internal box beam backbone that allows many more access doors to be cut in the skin than usual. The manufacturers claim that more than 50% of the surface area can be moved for access. Missile rails are stowed in bays enclosed by retractable doors that are strong enough to serve as work stands.
Avionics will be grouped into a Mission Equipment Package (MEP) featuring Very High Speed Integrated Circuitry
(VHSIC). The MEP is expected to account for about 50%-60% of the unit flyaway cost of each unit and is considered as the most difficult element in the overall design. The Comanche’s standard self-defense
is primarily passive. This includes stealth fuselage shaping, a cockpit sealed against Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare effects, and the Infrared (IR) suppressors fitted on the engines. Many other elements were to be installed only on aircraft flying in high-threat areas.
Missile configuration ultimately resulted in a maximum of either:
• six AGM-114 Hellfire antitank and two FIM-92 Stinger antiair missiles
• four Hellfires and four Stingers
• two Hellfires and eight Stingers
A 20-mm three-barrel General Elec-tric/GIAT Vulcan II Catling gun turret is mounted under the cockpit.

DEVELOPMENT •

The US Army announced on April 15, 1991, the designation of RAH-66 (for Reconnaissance-Attack Helicopter) and the name Co-manche for the Boeing-Sikorsky LH. The Army explained that Comanche Indians were renowned for their skill as scouts and their fierceness as fighters. The initial operational capability for the Co-manche is planned for the early 21st century. The award of the prototype contract to Boeing/Sikorsky was made on
April 6, 1991.
The LHX competition entered its Demonstration/Validation (Dem/Val) phase in October 1988. In early 1990, the “X” was dropped from the designation to indicate the impending selection of the Full-Scale Engineering Development (FSED) team. In September 1990, however, the Defense Department (DoD) re-introduced a prototype phase in the aircraft’s development, postponing FSED until the fall of 1994. Six prototype (four flying) aircraft were to be built at the Sikorsky plant.
Operation Desert Storm showed the Army that aircraft would have little opportunity to be fitted with sensor and sur-vivability systems once fighting starts and
therefore needed to be carried on every flight. Thus, the basic survivability kit was upgraded to include floor armor and a radio-frequency interferometer as well as weight reservation for the IR Counter-measures (IRCM) and active radar jammer. As a result, an additional 144 Ib (65 kg) was added for aircraft survivability upgrades and 130 Ib (59 kg) for IRCM and the radar jammer.
At that time, the first prototype flight was planned for August 1994 and first delivery for FSED aircraft in October 1995, beginning low-rate initial production in October 1996 and initial deliveries in February 1998. Subsequent decisions by the DoD have pushed production back until the next century.
In September 1993, Army officials warned that the Comanche program may suffer the loss of some of its key features, such as its Longbow radar and stealth properties, because of cuts in the Army’s budget.

SPECIFICATIONS •

MANUFACTURERS
Boeing Helicopters, Sikorsky Aircraft, andMesserschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm
GmbH
Bell Helicopter Textron and McDonnell Douglas
WEIGHTS
empty original target: 7,055-
7,500 Ib (3,200-3,400
kg)
revised target: 8,224 Ib
(3,750 kg)
mission 11,000 Ib (4,990 kg)
ENGINES 2 LHTEC T800-LHT-800 tur-boshaft
max power 1,200 shp each (increase to 1,479 shp planned)
DIMENSIONS
rotor diam 39 ft ‘A in (11.9m)
length overall: 47 ft 6 in (14.48
m)
fuselage: 43 ft 4 ‘/a in (13.22m) height 11 ft 1/4 in (3.36m)
disc area 1,197ft2 (11.2 m2)
PERFORMANCE
minimum dash speed
IVOkts (196mph;315 km/h)
rate of climb at 4,000ft (‘,2’9 m) and 95°F(3?C)
minimum: 500 ft/min
(152 m/min) max (with uprated
LHTEC engines): 1,130 ft/min (344 m/min)
ferry range with 2 450-US gal (‘,703-liter) external tanks
l,260nm (1,451 mi; 2,335 km) armament 1 20-mm 3-barrel General Electric/GIAT Catling cannon AGM-114Hellfire
antitank missiles AIM-92 Stinger ATAS air-to-air missiles