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Orbis Publication 1983 Armed Combat Helicopters
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ArmedForces of the World: Japan
Helicopter grunships in Vietnam
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Mil-24 in Action with giant colour 4-view and cutawayr' r:_;;:J;--
futi-tank helicopter wufue
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Volume I Issue 3
CONTENTSArmed Gombat Helicopters
A6rospatiale Alouette IIIA6rospatialdWe$lurd GuelleAgustaAl09AAgustaA 129
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm B0 105
Anti-ta* helicopter warfueVtle$landScout
We$landlynx(Army)I
ArmedCombcrHelicopters
S :. c e theb battlefield debut in the Korean war, helicopters:e;'e come along way. Firstusedinlarge ntmbersbytheF:ench in Algeria andbroughtto fullprominence duringthe'r'r e rnam War, the atmed helicopter now bristles withaivanced optical and electronic eguipment, carries awideran g e o f w e ap onry r anging from mac hine - gtns t o t ank -bus t in g guide d we ap ons, and may be armoure d. t o e nhanc eb a n I e fi eld suttivability.
: .: .=-,-:ral fundamental reasons of aerodynamics, of structural stress.-- - ,-:atrgnre of metal parts sublected to oscillatrng loads, hehcopters
:' : ',/ery long time to develop to the point where they could do, - . -----ely useful;obs. Even today the fundamental hmrtations still apply' . -, isrderable degree, so that tlre best modern helicopters are much. , .'. =l than equivalent aeroplanes and, in general, more vulnerable and:,- :ll to hrgher insurance premrums (which says somethrng about the..: =--.13od of severe damage). At the same time, hehcopters offer a
-- . : ..e combination of agility and hovering efficiency whrch makes them:.= ,rrly vehicles of man's creatron that can truly be said to fly, in the.=.-,:: that birds or insects can fly. This has gradually opened up a
- - ,','rng range of applications in warfare for armed helicopters.- re first armed helicopters of the period immedrately iollowrng-.'.'-rld War II were used for simple experiments with machrne-guns,
.-:.-:c surface rockets and antr-submarine weapons. Even with the bestr:srgns the payload was severely limited, so that it was impossible to:=:ry much in the way of weapons and still have a worthwhiie mission::i:us or endurance. The turning pornt was the switch to gas-turbine:::pulsion from the mid-1950s. At a stroke this slashed the helicopter's
=:pty weight, greatly rncreased avarlable power and dramatrcally im-:::ved safety and reliabrlity. For the f,rst time twin-engine safety was: , ssibie, failure of either engine of twin engrne helicopters resulting rn,:-iy a sirght reduction in flight performance.
Today continued improvement rn turbrne engrnes ln structural mater--,-s in avionics and especially in newly devrsed desrgn techniques have
By far the most successtul dedrca tedgunship helicopteryet built, the BellAH-) HueyCobra has developed intoa m aj or family with diffe re n t engin essensors, weapons and equipment.These are of the latest US Armymode I, the Production AH - I S.
led to new breeds of helicopter whrch car- -.',' :-. - - ... :.. - " - _
deal devastating blows against hostrle ar:.,'.: : ' :,:...: i : _r :'remainertherhrddenorsurprisinglyimmune:: :-'r:- --= : . . ....:the most rulnerable aircraft rn the sky the arr-:: -.=.., . '=- -
become extremely drffrcult to shoot downThere are obvious advantages tn berng si:.r.. r.:.-r :...- _ :
battlefreld helicopters can be very elusive targe:s :.,:-: :: :- i ..:.the Hughes Defender which has a main rotor of onr;; . '.-:' - :: _ -
diameter. The latest Defenders are available v,'rth -:. I.ll.li :.'.::'mounted sight) whrch enables the heltcopter to eng-
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targets whilst still remaining hull down behrnd natural :,'. =tMarrtrme helicopters range from compact types icr '^.= _-_.-,_ ,...:-_
warships up to larger ASW machines wrth the flight crei.'s=!t:: - -: :.-.
the missron crew in a tactical cabin with inputs from su::r s::-: , :: ::sonobuoys, radar and MAD gear, wtth computers to manaera ::.= _ .:r r-_
attack, which may be co-ordinated wtth friendly warshrps 1,1:: -,.. =.helicopters must strli be small enough to operate from shrp. _-i.=. '-.-.carriers, and it rs noteworthy that the newest large multr-rol'-- :-. _:..:.- -_-.
this class, the Westland/Agmsta EH 101, rs the same srze a. - J=:- :..:..despite the fact rt wtll be 50 per cent heavier and 50 per :::. ::.-::powerful.
Desrgned to su rvive while undertaking the most arduous of ba ttjef ejo :es-{sthe Hughes AH-64 is more sophisticated and more expensive than an.,-.::..:battlefield helicopter.
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Aerospatiale Alouette III
1973, and rmmedraieL',' proved themost successful variani of ihe senes,offering mllitary operators rmprovedattack capabrlrty (thanks to the typesability to llft more weap.ns or to carrythe same weapons l:ac as the SA 316series at hrqher perf:rmance) andgreater economy T:cuJt more mod-ern types have generall','replaced theAlouette III as a front l:ne :el:lcDter inthe worlds more ai.::.--.: :-: armsthe type still plays a s:grirr:caii part Ln
the inventorres ci r:ar.'.' snaiLer arralms.
SpecificationA6rospatiale SA 3I9B Alouette IIIAstazouTlpe: general-purpose mrlitary heli-copterPowerplant: one 870-shp (649-kW)Turbom6ca Astazou XIV turboshaftderated to 600 shp (448 kW)Armament: a wide assortment ofweapons can be carrred, these includ-ing a 20-mm cannon, varrous types ofmachrne-gmn, rocket pods and AS. I Ior AS. 12 arr-to-surface missilesPerformance: maxtmum speed220 krc'/h ( 136 mph) at sea level, range
Now being replaced by the SA342MG azelle with HO?mr'ssi/es, lft eAlouette III is still widely used by theFrench army light aviation as an anti-tankmachine.
605 km (375 miles) with maxrmum rn-ternal loadWeights: empty 1146 ks (2,527 lb),maximum take-off 2250k9 (4 960 lb)Dimensions: main rotor drameter11.02m (36ft 132 rn) fuselage length10.03m (32ft l0% rn) heisht 3.00m(9 f t l0 rn ). marn rotor drsc area95 38 mz t1,026 5 sq ft)
t1r
II n"rorpatiale Gazelletrols. The flrst prototype flew on 7 April1967. and the first productron SA 341flew on 6 Augn-rst 1971, and featured theBolkow-developed rigid marn rotorand A6rospatiale fenestron shroudedtarl rotor in a duct built into the fin. Aspart olthe 1967 aqreement wrth the UKmany early Gazelies were assembledand partly brrilt by Westland for theBntLsh army (Gazelle AH.Mk t), RN(Gazelle HT.Mk 2) and RAF (GazelleHT.Mk 3) The Gazelle AH Mk t hasl:ppLer auto-chart dLsplay and
(optronally) TOW mtssrles and roofsrght, the HT varLants have a stabrlity-augmentation system, the naval Gazel-le HT 2 also havrng a rescue horst.Powerplant of the Gazelle AH.Mk I rsthe 600-shp (448-kW) Astazou IllN tur-boshaft. The SAL 34IF rs the basrcALAT (French Army light aviation)model, with the Astazou IIIC turboshaftand rntended for utility purposes TheSA 34IH mrlitary export version ispowered by the Astazou IIIB tur-boshaft and licence-built by Soko ofYugoslavia. The SA 342 introduced anAstazou engrne uprated from 590 to 859shp (440 to 641 kW) and an improved
fenestron permrttlng welght to be in-creased and resulted from a Kuwattirequrrement. Of several military SA342 versrons, ALAT rs buyrnq 120 oftheSA 342M model with advancedavronics and four HOT mrssile tubeswith a stabrhzed sight on the roof, thistype providrng the French army withvery effectrve antr tank defence. Totalsales of all versrons reached 1,000 by1983, includrng dehvenes to 14 milttarycustomers worldwrde. The type hasalso been produced for the ctvil mar-ket in SA 34IG and SA 342J forms TheSA 342 variants generally have slightlybetter overall perlormance than the
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SA 341 models, butpayload and superrorcapabilities,
Armament: option for two machine- I ,
quns or 2O-mm cannon, two pods of '"2,75-in or 68-mm rockets, four/sx HOTmrssiles, or four AS. 11 or hvo AS. 12 km/h (148 mph); range with 500-kgmrssrles (1,102-lb) payload 360 kn (223 miles)Powerplant: one 859-shp (641-kW) Dimensions: main rotor diameter 10,5T\:rbom6ca Astazou XIV turboshaft m (34 ft 5/z in); frxelage lengrth 9,53 mPerformance: maximum speed 310 (31 ft37+ in); heiqht3 lS m(l0 ft5% in);hri/h ( 193 mph); cruising speed 238 main rotor disc area 86.5 m' (931 sq ft)
F iring a H OT a nti- tank mis sile from an 46r o s p a tt a I e G "-z e - e L- .- _ ;.- :
helicopter carriesfoursucft mr'ssrJes , the SA 342M ters::.: :e-:_:.::-.1: -: :- :roof-mounted sight.
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Specification:A6rospatiale SA 342MType:hilrtary utrlity helicoptet L ,Accommodation: two pilots in front tfi,/7tr':""#l'i"1"ti.?51-'f t,?:islfl t Erying; shng for 700-kg (1,543-lb) frerghtload and hoist for 300 lb (135 kq)
fI nhsta A loeAOne of the most aesthetrcally attractiveheltcopters, the Agusta A I09A wasplanned as a streamlined twin{urbinemachine for a pilot and seven passen-gers, with ali-weather avionics and acabin easily adaptable for a variety ofother civil and military applications.The main rotor has an articulated huband aluminium honeycomb blades,and the tricycle landing grear is fullyretractable. The flrst example flew on4 Augmst 1971 and soon ambulance,cargo and SAR (search and rescue)
One of the spoils of the Falklandswarwas thisAgustaA 109A multi-role helicopter captureci D,1' :.e 3:= i:---- r- ::BrigadeAirSqn.
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.,_-; i:-.--oy_':-: ]n 1975
,: :.:::--::' aa;1:- a: i:r'ed vel-. . . -1.: :.' -li: -:-J':::=eredanA--'1.:. .l-::-i *c::t '.'.-.':. :3:h-lne-gun. . .: :: :-I--j:: ::i:-: and SPeClal
, :: -,..:::.::.- ::- A I09A Light---'-3c wllh rock--_-.:--< --
: j 1-,: :,:::,-::-fJs lol soft targets,, '-.= .-i-;.--=s -S- .lelescope stght
---' :.-- -.: .-.:s: a:d rdbes for up to
=.::.' - l',',- :.is:]es an A 109A Com-::-a:.: a:.ci control icr target designa--. , ,= ::. r r::::.::- ci attack helicopters,1-. r '.'.--::. ::--: Irlament optrons of the A.' :.:.'-.;:.'. -:-::a:k an A l09A Utility for
carqo or casevac patients, and provi-sion for a slung load of 907 kg(2 0OO Ib); an A l09A ESlvl/ECM wtthcomprehensive electronic warfaresvstems including passlve recelversactrve jammers and disPensedoavloads: and an A l09A Naval forASW, anti-ship, stand-off missile gui-dance, SAR, Patrol, EW and manYother duttes. The proposed armamentfor the A 109A Naval is a pair of AS 12
or AM-10 wire-gnrided missrles, andthe tvDe can also be fitted to providequida;ce correction for the Otomatihio-launched anti-ship missile Va-rious sensors are available as custom-
er options. ln 198 I production began toswlr-ch to the A l09A Mk II with anuprated transmisston for greaterweights and speeds,
SpecificationAgrusta A I09A IvIk IIType: multr-role helicoPterAccommodation: up to eight seats ofwhich front tvvo may both be pilots'plus provision for 907-kg (2,000-lb)sluns load, 150-kg (331-lb) hoist twostretchers and tvvo attendants or morethan 60 special role flts including widerange of weapon schemesPowerplant: two 420-shp (313-kW)
Allison 250-C20B turboshaftsPerformance: maximum sPeed at max-imum weight 269km/h (1B4mPh)cruising speed 230 lcm/h (143 mPh)ranqe. not stated except with max-rnum fuel and no reserires 548 km (34.miles)Weishts: empty, depending on equtp-menifrom 1551 kg (3,419 lb) to I8B9 kg(4, 164 Ib); maximum take-off 2600kg(s,732Ib)Dimensions: main rotor diameterll.Om (36ft l in); fuselage lengfthi0,7 m (35 ft lYzin\ height 3 3 m (,10 !10 in); main rotor disc area 95 03 m'(1,023.0 sq ft)
fl Asrusta A 129
SpecificationAo:sta A 129Tfpe: anti-armour and armed scouthelicopterArmament: Italtan version has fourovlons for eiqht (two quadruple units)TbW missite! pltts either two 12 7-mmfO.s-in) ouns or two Pods each withieven'oi 19 70-mm (2 75 in) rockets
Powerplant: hvo Rolls-Royc e Gem 2-2
twboshafts each with an emergencyratins of I,035 shP (772 kW)Perftrmance: maximum sPeed270 km/h (168 mPh); range wtthweapons 574 kn/h (357 mtles)Weights: empty 2530 kq (5 575 Ib);maxrmum take-off 3655 kq (B 058 Ib)Dimensions: main rotor diameter
Manv nations are considering buyingthe Aousta A I 29, shown here as a
full-slcale mock-up with eight HughesTOW guided missiles'
11.9m (39ft OTzrn); fuselage Iength12.275i (40 fr 37q in); heisht 3.35 m(ll ft 0in); main rotor disc areai I t.z m2 (1,197.0 sq ft)
.S- GERMANYI Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BQ r05
the feathering hinge) hub of forgedtrtanium carriinq efficrent blades ofcrlassfibre-retnfoiced plasllcs ln the
fiassenger role most versions seat ftve,
though there is a lenQlthened sLx-seaterand MBB in partnership with KawasaktofJapan rs also producing the B/1O-seat
BK I'U. Versions are betng assembled
TheGermanMBB comPanY has beensuccessfuJ rh m arketing manYmilitary and paramilitary versions ofits aoile BO I 05 twin-turbinehe liEopter. T he Roy al N e therland sarmv uses the BO I 05C in variousutiliiy roles tqPicallY with fourpassengrers.
in the Philippines, lndonesia andSoain. but the biqgest mtlitary custom-ei has been Federal GermanY itsellThe Heer (armY) has 227 BO l05M
I
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BO I05 (continued)
(VBH) observation machines wrthmany advanced features. A prototypeis Lnvestigatlng further types of all-'..;eather sights and displays. The Heerras also deployed a further 212 of.theBO t05P type as the PAH-I (anti-armour helicopter No. l). These havesLx HOT antrtank missiles, a stabilizedall-weather srght above the cabin,Doppler navigatron and numerous-:ems for battlefleld protection. Eacharmy corps has an anti-tank PAH reg-rment with two squadrons of 28 heli-copters operating rn four flights of
seven. A further 2l are reserved forspecial dutres with the 6th Panzergre-nadrer Division. The type is also thebasrs of the BO ]Os/Opheha (OptrquePlatforme HELlcoptere Allemande)advanced experrmental model Thishas a mast-mounted sight (forward-lookrng rnfra-red and TV sensors and alaser rangeflnder) in a sphericalmountrng above the rotor head, andhead-up/head-down displays in thecabrn. The type also has provisron forhelmet-mounted sights and drsplays,and began flight trials rn l9Bt
SpecificationMBB BO 105P (PAH_t)Type: antL-tank hel.c- c:=:Armament: nclm"ll. :.;,: : _ l :.. -..=on lareral ou rtc:.t.: ...'. ,
reload of launch ruL*-.Powerplant: two 420-hc : : - :-.,.:'.'.' -:-,_.-son C20B turboshaftsPerformance: maxLmun :::- -:.,: -:speed2l0 km h r 130 mph r,-..-.:.,:.. -..
durance wrrh 20-mrnute lese:..= . .-.: -:30 mrnutesWeights: empry J322 kr - j.r .:mdxrmum take.olf 2400 kg q5 2!- i:
Armed Combat Helicop:e:s
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Anfi-fank helicopter warfare
,- -= :-:nch who first gave the helicopter significant capab llty aga nst. ' : -; smallturbine-engined Sud-Aviation Alouette lls with batterres of' - .'.='AS..1 1) wire-guided missiles. These early m ss les were qu te
: : ,: -:i easy to steer accurately: the operator tended to over-correct,: " :- l to co-ordinate steering in both the lateral and vert,ca planes,
. :-:: ^g small helicopter with distorting Plexiglas from screen panels
,. :: \elvto provetoo much.Thefirst majoradvancewas deve opment--. :::n (iaterAdrospatiale) of an improved guidance cal ed TCA (Tdle-
,-: --:cmatique) in which the operator was absolved oi tne need to,- -: sreering corrections to the missile's trajectory; a he had to do: :-: s ont exactlv on tarqet and the missile automat callV f ew a onq the:: :-: s gntexactlyontargetandthe missileautomat callVf ewa ong the
-' .:z'allel line defined by an lR (infra-red) sensing system TCA and.:z'allel line defined by an lR (infra-red) sensing system TCA and.- - - ^ -^!^
ii.^^+ tr;+- ^'^h^hl^ ^\/6n .+ thd ow+an;ad r:nno n{ rn tn: .:::-s made direct hits probable even at the extended range of up toJ I svv v,,vv! iii!e ts.!
: - es achieved by second-generation anti-tank miss les
= :' :-: 'rndamental requirements of an anti-tank he1 copter s that tr :: ::. to see the enemywithout itself being visible Partculary n the
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Firing aTOW high-speed antilankmissilefrom one of the twotwin podscarried by aHughes 500 MD Defender,whichis alsoequippedwith amast-mounted sight. In such flat terrain the high position of the sight cannot giveconcealment.
USA, there has been an emphasrs on making anti-tank helicopters better able towithstand hostile fire, although extremely successful n the case of strikes bybullets, this philosophy has tended to distract attention from the bas c fact thatevery modern army has large numbers of close range SAMs wh ch are almostcertain to destroy a helicopter with a single shot. lt s amaz ng that the newestantr{ank helicopter, the USA's Hughes AH-64A Apache, shou d after a decadeof development be burdened by armour and features protect ng it againstsmall-arms f ire up to at least 20 mm, yet be unab e to engage its targets withoutexposing itself fully to gunfire and SAMs Th s ls because the stabilized sightsystem, its vital 'eyes', is at the very bottom of the nosel
No anti-tank helicopter crew would disagree w th the assertion that such
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An MBB BO 105 anti-tank helicopter displays its mast-mounted sight, whichaffords this agile aircraft the opportunity to remain out of sight until it needs tofireitsweapons.
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Left: I n all battlefield o pe r a :: : :. sby helicopter s t he m ax im :
=.:. condeglrnent of such acos:.;' e.:3. vulnerable macfirneis esse:--::=.
* With an MMS (mast-rnoun :e: s:_--.- :. milssrJes can b e qtided whiie : :,helicopter stays out of sight i>e:,::=
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helicopters are only as good as therr 'eyes'. The most basic form of vision dev ceisastabilizedmonocularsight,inessenceasmalltelescopegivingasmall(x2tox4) magnification for a quick search and a much greater enlarqement (xi0 andupwards) for long range weapon gurdance. The eyepiece has to be retractable,and folded down when needed so that it comfortably f its any size of observer.The latter has a control wlth which he can aim the other end of the s ght systemwhich projects outside the hel copter, preferably above the roof or above thehub of the rotoron a mast The slght head has to be gyrostab lrzed to hold steadyon a target no matter how the he copter may be cavorting, and the whole sighthas to incorporate or be able to interface w th an B night-v s on device, with alaser ranger and target designator, and w th a helmet s ght worn by e thermember of the crew.
Almost always there are two crew n an ant -tank helrcopter. The pioneer BellAH-'1 HueyCobra established the rule that the seats should be in tandem, therear seat being higher than the froni, and that though there shou d be primaryflight controls in both cockpits the chief p lot shou d be at the rear. Bell'ssecond-generation rival to the AH-64A reversed this arrangement, puttrng thepiiot in the nose; nobody else has followed this arrangenrent and it was notadopted. Anti-tank versions of existing machines, such as the Westland Lynx 3,46rospatiale SA 342M and MBB BO 105P, seat the crew side-by-srde. So farlrttle attention appears to have been paid to what seems the obv ous a ternativeto today's large anti-tank helicopters. the small single-seater w th great agilityand much reduced visual or radar cross-sectron, yet carrying the same sensorsand weapons as the vulnerable monsters in use (or planned for use) today.
Helicopter sight systems
WestGermany is well advanced withnight and badvisibility sightingsystems for its BO j,05 dedicated anti-tank he licopter - ( I ) s hows a helmetsightsystem which enables thesensors to follow the obsewer'svisual scan or, conversely, direct thewearer's attention onto a target. Thecameraunitin(2) is a LLW unit,which is pairedwith aFLIR camera.The obsewer is of{ered a choice ofenhanced images (3) depending onlocal flight conditions.
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Westland Scout. ri exclu:.. :: - .: l--:, :l- .- :,a',': been bUllt
:,.. .-. '..- Westland Scout was
:-_-: :, -r :: :. :: Saunders-Roe-- :.: - - a : :'. r-: r:.=:, :-.':r-.i'hen the:,: -' r :.:::,'.' '.'.'rs absorbed by-:'.:: - ,.-, ::: T:.e irst P 531 was.. .. .-:: __ _"ooowetofa
- '.-: -::-...','.' Blackburn (Turbo--r. -'-r::-.- :-: :ulbishaft. derated
: '-.. -:,':-.:...,^::: 325 shp (242kW)...= : '..-, 1,.-'.-,'sroived an rmmedrate
. ':.::- .:. -:.= .-,-Oe anO IflLS WaS ln-
::-,::, =:r:,,' u'as the P.531-2 Mk I,--.=:-:.:.1',' a pre-production and de-.=.,::.=:.:'.,arLant whtch first flew tn:- - I .: - :a! Thrs proved so successful':...' ::.',' lne month later the Britrsh.'. :.. !. .:-d rls rnlual productron con-': . : :- r ::e Scout AH.Mk I, whrch dif--: -: -:: m earher models only in hav-.-: :-'.'.'ered controls. The first Scout.:-: l.li: - tlew rn March 1961, and the' ':: a:Jan to entel sewice early in.::: :s a replacement for the Saun--:=:-.-i.:: Skeeter, which it clearly out-::.-:=: by rts combrnation of greater:=-.-c-lrty substantrally improved. . . :r and general operating super-. :,'.- Production amounted to 160i -,:: AH Mk I helicopters and these
-:-. = slnce 1963 been standard multi-: = .actrcal alrcraft wlth skid landing:- -: r lvelsx-seat cabrn and the Nim-:,.- --l or 102 turboshaft. External. 1-i.:.an rnclude two lrtters in side-
mounted pods and a varrety ofweapons. The rear bench seat whichnormally accommodates three passengers, can be removed to provrdespace for two more lLtters The typehas proved rts operatronal versatrhty,operating in the close-support. haLSon,light frerghtrng modevac commurjcation, reconnarssance. SAR and trarnLngroles Small numbers of the Scout wereexported, mainly to Jordan Austraha,Bahrarn and Uganda More than I00Scouts remarn ln servrce',^'lth the Brit-ish army, marnly rn second-lLne roles.
SpecificationWestiand Scout AH.Mk IType: multr-role tactlcal hehcopterArmament: thls can rnclude varrouscombinatrons of guns up to 20-mmcalibre and rocket pods, or AS. I I antrtank mrssilesPowerplant: one Rolls-Royce (Bnstol)Nrmbus Mk l0l or Mk 102 turboshaftderated from 1,050 shp (783 kW) to685 shp (51 I kW)Performance: maximum speed21 I km/h (131 mph) at sea level range505 km (314 miles) wLth maxrmum fuel
An ATGW Scout helicopter from No.652 Aviation S quadron, Army AirCorps, is seen firing an AS- I I anti-tank guided weapon, Iive, at tanktargets.
and flve personsWeights: empty 1465 kq (3,232 lb)maxrmum take-off 2405 kg (5,300 lb)Dimensions; main rotor drameter9 83 m (32 ft 3 rn); fuselage lengrth9 24 m (30 ft 4 in) height 2.72 m (B fl1i in); marn rotor dlsc area 75.9 m(16 9 sq ft)
X Westland Lynx (Army)-- .:,:ired as part ofthe Anqlo-French:.=,. r: Dier aqtreement of FebruarY
,.: - :i.e Westland Lynx rs an extreme-.. ::-.::iern and versatile machine. ltsi::.1:r rs wholly of Westland orrgrn,: - :-. Droductron of the type is shared: :.: ratro of 70/30 between the UK.-:,; : rance rn the form of the natronal-.-=: -:,:rospatrale concern One of the:,:-:.ir-,' French responsrbrhtres rs the. : .:=l :rtanrum hub, a one-piece struc-:- ::l the four-blade semr-rrgrd main" : ." r.. --11 rs one of the most rmpor
..:,- :::::res of the desrgn. All versions':- -.,-n,: have advanced diqrtal
..:: -^:ntrols plus all weather:. ,:,.:: and no prevrous hehcopter:..:. =:-:l ihe type for agrlity and all-' -:'::l' :na-man opelatlon The orl-:.: : - :r: lestgn lte wrth the WG.l3: ,:- ,.:l '.'.'hlch was schemed rn'-. -:..-c':n:ose naval and civilian ap-
::',.:.: Bu: sc versatrle drd the de-::,:-=ir rhat the concept was ex:- : ', l:nd-based tactrcal opera-
: '.:,-:h ihe types agrlrty and:.. .. :;. r: ','.'culd prove a very ccn-.:. :: .: :.:-::: The first prototype of- -.:-. ..='.'. :r 2l March 1971 and- i : r ',a=s vrere used exhaus-:.. , r r-- ::.331s oithe certlflcation
:. , r.--::'- :-r'lrrals and for record-:. .:i r: .r. : l:.= second productton' :=. .'.'.. ::-= Lynx AH.Mk I bat-.':. r i....- :r--:: :':':.: B:'tsh army.
.,:.:.'-.='.', -:. -- F:i::-a:.; i977 and-,:=::::r-:. ^ l-r,-
: .' :. .-' ':-,= ::.r r: -:- - S-:,a-o that
time the Lyrx has burlt up an enviablereputatron as a versatrie battlefleidhelicopter, berng able to carry up to l2troops rn addrtion to a crew of two, or907 kq (2,000 lb) of internal freigrht or aslung load of 1361 kg (300Olb), or awide assortment of weapons rncludrngerght TOW antr{ank mrssrles aimedwrth a stabilized sight mounted in thefliqhtdeck roof. The chLef distrngr-urshlng feature of the land-based Lynxis its skid iandrng grear, the naval Lynxhavrng wheeled tncycle landing grear.
Westiand is producing vanants ofthe basrc desigrn including the currentWG.30 and the future Lynx 3. TheWG.30 rs desrgned for civil and mtltt-ary applicatrons, and n rn essence a'bLg fuselage Lynx wLth upratedpowerplant and larger drameler matn
rotor, and can carry up to 22 troops.The Lynx 3 rs a more advanced armeddevelopment of the Lynx AH.Mk 1;
among rts features are the ability tocarry HOT, TOW or Hellfire antr-tankmrssiles (wrth reloads rn the cabtn, atechnrque pioneered with the LynxAH Mk I), and to carry the Strnger arr-to-arr mrssrle for self-defence or thedestructLon of enemy helicopters overthe battlefield. Sensors proposed forthe Lynx 3 are either a chrn- or mast-mounted package ol largel-dcquisilionand night-vision items Wrth a max-Imum take-off werght of 5443 kq(12,000 lb), the Lyrx 3 will also be ableto hft i4 troops over a ranqfe of 105 km(65 mrles). The prototype should fly by1986, wrth delivenes begrnnrng shortlyafter thLs.
SpecificationWestland Lynx AH.Mk IArmament: weapons can rnclude a 20-mm cannon, a 7 62-mm (0,3-in) Mtnt'gnrn, rocket pods, or various types ofair-to surface mrssile rncludinq HOT,TOW and AS I IPowerpiant: two 900-shp (671 kW)Rolls-Royce Gem 4l turboshafts, eachflat-rated to 750 shp (559 kW)Performance: maxrmum speed259 km/h (171 mph); ranse 540 km (336miles) wrth a full load of troopsWeights: empty equlpped for antr-tank stnke 3072k9 (6,772 Ib); max-imum take-off 4 536 ks (10,000 lb)Dimensions: maln rotor drameter12,802 m (42 ft 0 rn); length overall,rotors turning 15 163 m (49 ft 9 in)tnejghl 366m (12lt 0rn), marn rolordrsc area I28.69 m2 (1,385.35 sq ft)
Capableof being armedwith awide assortmentof weapons, theLynxis alsotaskedwithcarryingM|LAN armedanti-tankteams.
Westland Lynx (Army) (continued) Armed Combat Helicopters
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Takenin 1977, this pictureshows f,hesecondproductionLynx AH.Mk t [or theBritish army. Since then over 100 have been delivered, of ,,vhich 60 in Germanyare being equipped with the Hughes TOW, with a stabilized roof-mounted
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sight.Westland is now developing the Lynx 3 as adedicated armedhelicopter.
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il ifrr vri-e4'Hind'The Mil Mi-24'Hind' is a most impor-tant combat helicopter famrly, and hasdynamic parts (engines and rotors)beanng close krnship with those of theMi-8, yet while the main rotor is con-siderably smaller in diameter the en-gines are much more powerfull Theseries was designed to be able toassaultland a squad of rnfantry andsupport the squad from the air wrthgn-rnfire, rockets and missiles. The Mi-24 is thus a massive hehcopter butagile for the bulk, and probably flew inprototype form in the early l97Os, en-tering service in 1973. The flrst Mr24version, called'Hind-A' by NATO, wasLnitially seen in large numbers in EastGermany in 1974, and so is thought tohave flown as a prototype in about1968. Its fiselage is divided rnto a largecockpit area for a normal flight crew offour (pilot, co-pilot, gunner/navigator'wrth heavy machine-gnrn, and forwardcbserver) and an unobstructed marncabin for eight fully equipped troops,On each side large wingJike weaponarms (which do in fact give lift in for-ward flight) slope sharply downwardsand support six pylons, four ofthem forrocket pods, bombs or other heavystores and the outermost carrying twinrails for a total of four AT-2 'Swatter'gurded missiles for use against armour
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Thetirstversionof theMi-24 tobebuiltin largenumberswas'Hind-A',withfourweapon pylons, two twin'Swattet'mrsstJe rajls an d a heavy machine-gun.
or other hard targets. The 'Hind-A'wasin fact preceded rnto servrce by the'Hind-B', with strarght wings lackingthe trp stations for mrssiles The 'Hind-C' ts similar to the 'Hind-A' but lacks thenose g'un and tip stations for missrles.Relatively few were built. Larger num-bers have been built ofanother model,'Hind-D', which has a revised airframewith the tail rotor moved from the rightto the left of the swept fin, and a newnose equipped for a pilot at the upperlevel and a weapon operator lowerdown in the extreme nose, and with thegreatest array of tactlcal sensors,weapon-arming systems, communica-tions, EW devices and all-weatheravionics ever seen on a hehcopter.This is a true gunshrp helicopter with a
rotary-barrei heavy machrne-gununder the nose. Well over 1,000 ofmany sub-types had been built by1983. about 150 berng exported lo fivecllenl stales and development hascontinued wrth the 'Hind-E' (AT-6 'Sprr-al' tip missiles and improved sensors)and 'Hind-?' without the undernosemachine-gun but wtth a twin-barrel 23-mm cannon on the dght side of thenose.
SpecificationMii Mi-24'Hind-D'Type: tactical gmnshrp helicopterArmament: one 12.7-mm (0.S-in) rbur,barrel gt-r,r in remote-control turretunde; riose for use agarnst ground oraerral targets; four inboard weapon
pylons for various loads (.-is:-ii; :2-tube 57-mmi2.24-rn rocke' ; : :: ::totwo outboard pylons for :-,'.-: launchrails for AT-2 'Swatter or AT-c SprralIaser-homing antr-armour n.ssrlesPowerplant: two 2.2C0-:c (1641-kW)Isotov TV3-1 17 turbosha-tsPerformance: maxtrnum speed 346krn/h (215 mph) ranqe wrth maximumweapon load 900 knr (559 mrles)Weights: empt)' about 6500 kq(14,300 lb) maxrmum take-off 11500 kq(25,400 rb)Dimensions: marn rotor drameter ab-out 17 0 m (55 ft 9 rn); fuselage length17 0 m (55 ft I in); heisht 4 25 m (14 ft0 in); main rotor dlsc a'rea 227 0 m(2,443 5 sq ft)
49
Thrs illustrationis probably themost accurateyet to have appeared of anyversion of the MiI Mi-24, the type depicted being the so-called 'Hind-D' armedassault and anti-tank version as used by the Czech air torce. Features includethe kinked main-rotor blades of composite construction, held in a titaniumhub, four W-32-57 pods (each housing 32 rockets ot 57-mm/ 2.24-in calibre),four outboard AT-6 'Spiral' anti-tank mksiles, foreign-obiect dellectors aheadot the inlet to the 2, 200 - hp ( I 64 I - kW) W- 3- I I 7 engines, forw ar d-looking I Rand low-Iight Wsensors, four-barrel gan in a remotely-aimed turret, and longair-data sensor probe.
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ni-z6'Hind in action?fie USSR lras exp orted Mi-24 assaulthelicopters to Afghanis tan, Algeria,Cuba,lraq, Libya and SouthYemen,in addition to members of theWarsaw Pact. Most have been twin-c o c kp it guns h ips, bu t Algeria hasalso received some of the earlier' H ind-A' model. These have a largeenclosed flight deck for a four-mancrew, but lack many of the night andall-weather sensors of ffie gunsfirps.
.ny Western observers still frnd it hard toierstand how the USSR can spend very
:.:-Je sums to procure military hardware of.=',',' and carefully optimrzed design when,:rething already in existence could easily be:,:iLfied to do the job. Nothing better illus-::s thrs apparent disregard for cost than the'... Yt 24'Hind' family of helicopters, It would..'.'e been simpler merely to extend the:.=ady diverse famrly of Mi-B 'Hip' and Mi-17=..:rpters, which have the enormous benefit
,'..er 8,000 production examples (eight times:. : r . :han any Western helicopter of compara: srze or power). Instead the Mi-24 was..r.::l almost from the proverbial clean sheet
Greateragility: : , n the start the Mi-24 was tailored exactly' --:r.ryrng a squad of eight assault troops in a
.,,:-:- :abin with large doors on each side for:::,-r egress, whrlst srmultaneously carrying-.-:..",: armament to suppress opposition by.-.,: --: ground forces, In fact the basic external.' -ri:n load comprises four anti-tank gurded..'-:.:--:s plus four other stores such as UV-32- :, =: pods. This is nothrng like as much as the1.1,': -nd Mi-17 can carry; these have cabins:-r -:-lr up to 32, and external pylons for four: ,..--:s plus srx UV-32s or simrlar loads. Why,'-.=:- ie."'elop the Mi-24r
-:-= marn answer is that the new helicopter' .,. i:srgned for greater agility, acirieved by a. . . . :,=: ra:ro of power to weight, combrned with
.--':- :-are extensive armour and other pro-
. i.r inria!: , dqs
tection against ground frre. A second reason isthat in several versions the Mi-24 has a'gunshrp' nose packed wrth advanced sensorsand weapon arming systems, and again theseare better suited to a smaller, high-power he[-copter than to the large Mi-8 series,
NATO kne,r about the new helicopter fortwo years before the first photographs wereseen rn 1974, and has allotted the reportingname 'Hind'. The frrst major production version,'Hlnd-A', has a tail rotor very similar to that ofthe Mr B family, but in all other versrons it ismoved to the left side of the fln, to pull instead ofpush. This early model, first rdentrfled in EastGermany rn early 1974, has a nose cockpit for aflight crew of four, comprising pilot, co-prlot,navrgatorigunner, and forward observer, Thelast sometrmes forms part of the payload and onarrival at the landing or drop zone departs assquad commander. Normal weapon load rs1275 kg (2 810 lb) and the mix of four missiies(usually AT-2 'Swatter') anti-tank weapons andfour UV-32 pods rs almost universal, In the nosets a heavy machine-gmn, of 12.7- or 14,5-mm(0.5- or 0 57-rn) calibre almost certainly slav-able to a srghtrng system under the nose whichprovides a gyrostabilized picture of groundtarqets',','hich can be magnified up to aboutx l0 v,'hen necessary
PartlyarmouedWhat thLs first ,.'ersrcn does not have are full
nrght and all-;,'eaiher senscrs but tt set thestandard ol basrc desrgn fcr :he iater membersof the famlly. The basrc d1,'namic parts are
Presenting its most menacing aspect, this'Hind-D'displays its twin cockpits, remotely controlledfour-barrel gun, W-32-57 rocket pods and rails foran fi-fankmrssiles.
broadly sirnilar to those of the Mi-8 except thatthe main rotor is much smaller (17 m/55 ft 9 incompared with 21 29 rn/69 ft I)Vz in drameter)and rts flve blades are of advanced compositesteeVtitanium/qlassfibre construction to offervery high resistance to enemy fire. The en-gines are basically those of the Mi-17, morepowerful than those of the Mr-8, and they arepartly armoured and fitted wlth rnlet partrcle-separators and special exhaust stacks to sup-press IR radiation on which enemy SAMs could
Certainly the best photograph yet to becomeavailable in the West of a gunship Mi-24, this showsa'Hind-D' in Afghan colours with the main cabinoccupied by troops.
'Hind' gunships in Afghanistan--: i:: ._ - -::-:,..:->: -_ -:'r ^- --^:^ -- - --:J !=g :\.
: --:-:: lr - :S :C'e:: !eS5, O: : :: :-.1::- :. :a3 !',^g Cvei\\,he rn "O;!:Ce S,aOe^. :: - 3loaDesidurrro l956anci n PraEte:-'-;'968. to crush aii cirssensror n a--..-.a- ct hours in December 1g7g ihe:':-::eil of Afghanrstan was murdered:-: :.e puppei government whrch 'took:" :: on the same day invited the USSF tor--=^ opposition by bringing rn small ele--=-:s of the Russian army. The whole- -: nad been planned in advance, but.^3: had been miscalculated was the de-:-- nation of the Afghan people to resist.:sDite a gigantic build-up of Russian milit--, 'night the war in Afghanistan goes on.::om the start the Soviet FA (Frontal
:. ation, or tactical air force) has played a-.or role in trying to eliminate all oppo--:-is of the new regime who dare to show:-:nselves. A substantial part of the FA'=lrments now in Afghanistan are straight-':-ward fixed-wing units whose main:'eoccupation has been punitive dive-:-rmbing of Afghan towns and villages, of.',hich more than 80 have been completely:oliterated. Some have the close-supportSJkhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot', which is well:dapted to this style of warfare against tll-:quipped ground forces, but the most-Jmerous single type appears to be the Mil\.'1;24 'Hind' armed helicopter, which was- Afghanistan on the day Soviet troops:rossed the frontier.
Warfare in Afghanistan since 1979 has to: considerable degree resembled that inAlgeria 20 years earlier in that jt is a no-holds-barred struggle between a hardy but
'll-equipped people and a major militarypower over rugged and completely unde-veloped terrain. As in that former conflict itnas been demonstrated repeatedly that,while avjation forces cannot actually occupyand rule an area as can ground troops, they
can winkle out pockets of resistance whichmight otherwise make such occupationvery costly. Many refugees from Afghanis-tan have insisted that the Mi-24, used inseveral verslons including the modern tan-dem-seat gunships, are the most fearedsingle weapon deployed by the Russianforces.
Such large and powerf ul 14,4OO hpl3282 kW) machines broadcast their pre-sence from a great distance, but theAfghans have hardly any effective antiaircraft weapons. Both by day and night theMi-24s continually succeed in pinning downeven individual Afghans who are then cap-tured by the helicopter's own infantry or byground forces summoned by radio. All Mi
24s have at least one large-calibre gun in thenose, and the most effective single weaponis the four-barrel 'i 2.7-mm (0.5-in)gun of rhegunship'Hind-D' and'Hind-E' models. Thishas a very high rate of.fire, is supplied withseverat thousand rounds of ammunition.and appears to be very accurate over rangesas great as 1000 m (1,095 yards). Wirh asuperb range of sensors, including com-plete magnifying nightlvision systems, theMi-24 cannot be evaded. A typical techni-que is to land eight troops from the maincabin, wait Until their advance is checked byresistance and then'mount a devastatingassault with 57-mm 12.24-inl rockets oreven anti-tank missiles (very effectiveagainst caves and rock crevices). So far as is
known the large a-€:-: ::.:- :, :-- _-::f lown in by Mi-1:5 13 ,; ':- . - :: - . -:sian hands. largei! oe::-::'-: .:-:-:-:formerly tn possesso. ^: :-::.-., :-
Not too much of the i'---:- ....''.'.::across to a conflict bel,.,::- :..,_ -: _
powers. In the latter eve.: :-a -: :::-:':would be qurre unable io s::-: : " :: : ::range in full view of rhe e":-. -::-:several Mi-24s have been ,^<- - -':-:- i.tan apparently to accuraie r' a '-a ,',-:-thrs campaign has oore s :t: - ': :. ..:home the lesson that the hea\ . .-- .: .- :armoured helicopter, car-', -: -:: _- .
weapons but also a squad of ass:_ :is the most potent single r,e:c.:-COIN (counterinsurgency, r\: i :' ..
home. Many other crucial parts of the gearbox,shafting and flight-crew areas are protected by.tghtweight armour or specially robust (heavy:rtanium sheet, for example) arrframe construc-lion. Certainly it would be difficult to brinqdown an Mi-24 with guns of 20-mm calibre orsmaller,
Later modelsOther early models include the 'Hind-B'
(actually the first variant to be burlt) wrth smal-ler weapon wings without anhedral and lack-lng the misstle ra1ls, and the 'Hind-C' withoutmissiles or nose grun, The latter machine hasthe modifled tail-rotor installation and so didnot precede the 'Hrnd A'; the reason for remov-al of most of the armament is unknown but maybe in order to carry heavy slung loads. Thesepartially stripped models often lack the bullet
fairrng at the top of the innermost weapon pylonon the left side which is either a laser trackerand ranger or, more probably, a TV-type elec-tro-optical viewing system, It would be reason-able to suppose that this sensor is an image-enhancing type such as LLTV (iow-ltqht TV),and thus able to provide a picture of the qroundat nlght or in some kinds of bad weather. On theother hand the later gunship Mi-24s retarn thrssensor whilst introducing several others,
Perhaps the most numerous of all versions,the 'Hind-D' retains the same airframe andcabin as before except that the four-seat cock-pit is replaced by a new forward fuselage sea-trng just two. As in the American Bell HueyCob-ra and Hughes Apache, the front seat is occu-pied by the weapon operator, the pitot being ata higher level to the rear. Unlike the US types,however the Soviet machine has a completely
separate fighter-type canopy for ea::. ::':::.-the drfference in level berng such "i.:' 't.= t '
tom of the pilot's windscreen is le'.'e_ '.'.'_::. -:.=top of the canopy in front. Both cre'.',' :.:::,::::have a bulletproof wrndscreen \\'l h ,'. .:. t : -'whereas the pilot enters via a doc r : :. :.-.= I . I .
side the front-seater chmbs rn from ::.+ _- :' .' . _-.
the complete canopy hinged oper. : _ 'i.: I . r _-.'
Bulletproof qualities of the cancp.ii :t. . .'known. but there is extensrve arm: *: :: -:.:the lower parts of both cockprts
Around the nose are extensi,,'e a-.sensors and weapon-aiming sys:e:.:which can clearly be slaved to :r:turret under the nose, The oun rs ::the West but rs a rapid-fire fo'ur-cart=
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Another'Hind-D', in this casedeployed by thePWL (Polish air "':'' *'iforce).Thelongrodprojectins Laheadofthen6seisZniir-aaia Ilensor, which is particularlyimportant in peimitting priciseaiming of weapons af a/,1 arrspeeds.
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'Hind' gunships deployed in Afghanistan. Two arevery fully protected by large, well-tailored coversover the cockpits, weapons, rotor hubs, tail-rotorbjades and engrnes. Such cosselrn g is rare in theWest.
of estimated 12.7-mm (0.S-in) cahbre, Sensorsare housed in numerous small and large blis-ters and probably include a radar, LLTV and(desprte claims that the USSR had not de-veloped such devices, notwrthstanding the factthat they have been displayed rn public) a FLIR(forward-looking IR) system, A long boomahead of the nose incorporates a precisiontrue-arrspeed sensor for providing essentialdata for weapon-aiming, There are severalvariations on the weapon and sensor flt, mostgunship models having the original (probablyelectro-optical) pod moved to the tip of the leftweapon sponson and a version called 'Htnd-E'having different mrssile installations matchedto the tube-launched AT-6 'Spiral' missilewhich is believed to feature laser homrng.
Action in AfghanistanLatest of the many variants, and not yet allo-
cated an announced NATO desrgnation, is agmnshrp with a smooth streamlined nose de-void of the gun turret, Instead a long packageon the rrght side below the pilot's door containsa GSh-23 twin-barrel cannon, which is armed asrn fighter aircraft by the prlot steering thewhole machine. This version has a slightlydrfferent sensor fit, but al1 the recent Mi-24versrons appeared to have as many as 13 majoravronic aerials and unidentifled bulges, sug-festlng an extremely comprehensive array ofsensors for every conceivable purpose.
By mrd 1983 an estimated 1,240 ol all ver-.-':-s of Mi-24 had been delivered, wtth pro-r-.l:-rn continuing at about 15 per month.' .:.:: numbers have been in action rn Afgha-:--: .:- '.'.'here they have proved devastating to-:-;:.-:.s'.'.'ho lack SAMs, aircraft, and (in most::;t::s; even weapons of larger than rifle:.li:re Yet several Mi-24s have been shotj:'.','n in at least one case to carefully aimedr-fie flre The suppression of Afghan resistancehas not been partrcularly helpful to the USSR'srennement of tactical procedures, where thel',i:-21 s performance against other helicopters::l close support aeroplanes has yet to bei:::: i-rstrated.
Mil Mi-24 cutaway drawing keyJ Low speeo preisron
airsDeed sanscrs2 Scnsor bocnl3 'Odd rots F; .rcr al.1 Arnrourccl lr nc:crccn
pana5 W ncscraen !1 pcr6 Weapors ofl ccr s
nslrui_a ni pafa7 Plillrl..
I l ormalron lghl9 Ammunton oadngdoors
l0 4-barrc 1 2.7 mm rotarycanfon
1 T Cannon sw vc I nq;rno u nt Lng
l2 Foruard ook ng rnf ra-r{td(FL R)and low-lghtte ev s on (LLTV) scnsorhousr ng
13 Ventralsensorpack14 Radardirectorunit
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associated with AT'2Swatter-armed'Hind D'
15 Boardingstepsl6 Cockpit section armoured
skin panelllng
Prcbably themostnumerous of allMi-24 versions,'Hind-D'is one ofthree gunship models which allretain the eight-seat cabin amidsft jps(which can be used Ior reloadmrssiles). This example serves withthe LSK (EastGerman airforce).
'- Canopylatch' : Weapons systems
officer's seat'-r Sighting unit, stowed:a Upwardhingedcanopy
coveri- Twin barrel externally
mounted 23-mm GShL-23cannon
:2 Pi ot'sarmouredw ndscreen panel
i3 Windscreen wiper:-1 nstrumentpanelshroud
25 Cyclic pitch controlcolumn26 Colleclive pitchcontrol
lever27 Yawcontrol rudderpedals28 Noseundercarriageleg
strut29 Twin nosewheels30 Airconditioning system
fresh airintake
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This Mi-24 variant, one of a rapidlygrowing number used by SovietFrontal Aviation, is related to'Hind-
a E' in having tip pylons for the tube-launched AT- 6 Sprrai' mrssj/e. ljkeseveral new models, the chin turret isreplaced hy aGSh-23 twin-barrel
?:obably the most numerous of all!,1 i- 2 4 versions,' H ind-D' is one of:ree gunship models which all:etain the eight-seat cabin amidshjpsl'thich can be used for reload
::rrssrTes). This example serves withne LSK (EastGerman air force).
gun.
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'7 Canopylatch-8 Weapons systemsofficer's seat
: I Sighting unit. stowed20 Upwardhingedcanopy
21 Twin barrel externallymounted 23-mm GShL-23cannon
22 Pilot's armouredwindscreen panel
23 Windscreen wiper24 lnstrument panel shroud
25 Cyclcpitchcontro column26 Co lectlve pitch control
lever27 Yawconlrol rudderpedais28 Noseundercarnage eg
si i!l29 Tw n nasev,,hee s30 A r cc.d : on ng svstem
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37 S:a'c:r-r: :: e^:-! :::'38 .l ^!-r ^::::?a: c^39 3oa'c -g s:ecs40 Ptciiuoe4l Ventra'ac!re42 Snge-barre 127'mr
machrne€ u n
43 Armoured wrndscreenPanels
44 Weaponssyslemsofficer's seat
45 Flat plate p lots'windscreen panels
46 Weapons off icer's entryhatch
47 Pilotandco-pilot/engineer's seats, side-by-side
48 Slidingentryhatch49 Engine air intake vorlex
tvpe dust/debrls extractors
eng ne55 O ccoerLnlake56 Olcoolerfan57 Engine gearboxdnveshaft58 Exhaustpon59 Maincabindoorupper
segment, open60 Main cabin seating (8 fully-
armed troops)61 Doorlowersegment, open62 Boardingstep63 Ventralaerialcable64 Underfloorfueltanks65 Cabinwindowpanels66 Gearboxmounting
f uselage main f rames
ar Cao n :ea. bfkhead63 Gearboxmountrngdeck63 Ma n reduction gearbox70 Gearboxsupponstruts7l Botor head hydraul c
contro jacks (3)
72 Rotorheadfalring73 Swash plate mechanism74 Blade p tch control rods75 Blade rootattachments76 Titanium rotorhead77 Hvdraulic drag dampers78 Hydraulicreservoir79 Electric blade leading edge
de-icing80 Bladerootcuffs81 s-bladedmainrotor82 Starboard sideAPU intake83 Auxiliarypower unit (APU)84 APUexhaustduct
85 Rotorheadtailfalr ng86 Hollowsection steel rotor
blade spar87 Honeycombtrailing edge88 Titanium leading edge antl-
abrasion sheathing89 Aeriallead-in90 HFaerialcable91 VHFaerials92 Anti-collision lrght93 Rotorbladefixedrab94 Allmoving tailp ane95 Beveldrivegearbox96 Tailrotordrveshaft97 Frnaldrverghl-ange
gearbox98 3-badedta rotor99 G assjrbre ta rolo'b ades
100 Ttaniumlead ngecAesheathrng
101 Baoeotch.onr.cmechanrsr
102 Cambered:a 'c:c'c\ l.103 Ta navcaic. c-:
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leo slrut123 Pdnmarnwheel124 Laserdesrgnator1 25 Pod navigation light'126 Wing tip missile pylon'1 27 AT 2 Swatter launch rai s1 28 AT-2 Swatterairto{round,
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= Bett 209 HueyCobra
: ' ..:: .:.::.t:.:. \-te'nam during
r , : .. ' ,-. : , .:. ::: utrlrt'r' and the vul-- :. :i.-.i-. r :--.: ::r;entional hehcop--: ,: '=: -:=, :rarlsport, and it was
:: : :::.:::d :hat the oplrmum= , :: :.: :'.:lJ ano suPPorting
, --.-:,:::rs was',lrtth an agrle. -. : : i:. : : Imed hellcopter. In
' P-sed on lhe.-,rr!vPrLa. !u
: . --. --= ::.: llodel 209 had a new. :.: r-. .'..'r a nohrer type cock-
This was the original configuration of the AH-1G HueyCobra, with a singleTS3 engine, curved canopy and M28armamenlsubsystem with a Minigun and 40-mm grenades.
b:a ','.-rt rnto productron In- .-:: -.C00 were delivered rn
= :.,:: rrrgh Ln the rear and a:-::.:r lcwer Ln the front
:.1 .ra :re ol a wrde range of:.. :.-.::nred on lateral stub' -rcr rho nnco Tha ltlf-Il'ller the nose. The AH-]G
stages: (the Modified AH-IS producedby conversron of AH-lGs wrth the1,800-shp/1342-k\ / T53-703 TOW mis-srles and an upg.raded rotor system;the Production AH-IS srmilar to theModrfied AH-lS but wrth flat-platecanopy and improved avronics/instru-mentationt the Up-gnrn AH- lS based onthe Productron AH-1S but wrth super-lor stores-management system andprovrsron for a unrversal turret capableof accepttng a varrety of 20-mm and30-mm cannon, and the ModernizedAH-lS with all the prevrous rnprove-ments and IR suppressron of the ex-hausts (to reduce the type's vulnerabil-ity to IR-homLng mLssiles) endLng withflat-plate canoples TOW mLssrles andover B0 new or rmproved ltems ofavionics and equLpment for all-weather flyrnq at almost ground level.The current USMC model ts the AH-ITImproved SeaCobra wLth lonqer fusel-age, TOW mLss:les and 1,970-shp
(1470-kW) T400 engrne group. OneAH-lT has twin T700-700 engines of3 200 shp (2387 kW) ancl rt rs proposedto retroflt the USMC force wrth theT700-401 giving no less than 3,380 shp(252r kW)
SpecificationBell AH-ISType: anti-armour attack helicopterAccommodation: pilot and co-piloVgmnnerArmament: eight TOW missiles on oui-board wing points with pods inboardhousingr grroups of 7 or 19 of any of fivetypes of 69.9-mm (2,75-in) rocket,General Electnc turret under nosewtth M197 20-mm three-barrel gun(alternatrves are 30-mm gun or com-btned 7.62-mm/0.3-in Minignrn plus 40-mm grenade-launcher)Powerplant: one I,B0O-shp (1343-kW)Avco Lycoming T53-703 turboshaftPerformance: maximum speed varres
from 333 hn/h (207 mph) to 227 krilh( 141 mph) depending on equrpment fit;range at sea level with maximum fueland B per cent reserves 507 km (315miles)Weights: empty 2939kq (6,479 1b);maxrmurn take-off 4535 kq (10,000 lb)Dimensions: main rotor diameter13.41 m (44 ft 0 in) or, rn AH-IT family,14.63 m (48 ft 0 rn)t fuselage length13.59 m (44 ft 7 rn) or, rn AH- 1T, 14.68 m(48 ft 2 in); herght over tail rotor 4. l2 m(13 ft 67q rn), main rotor drsc area14l.26m? (l 520 5 sq fr) or, in AH-IT,168. 1 m2 (1,809,6 sq ft)
Rotor downwash breaks up themotor smoke trail of amissile firedby one of aformation of US MafineCorps AH- lT SeaCobras on anassauil exercrse. These are twin-engined and have the tilple-barrelGE M 1 97 cannon in an under-noseturret.
.: ::-l Years. Powered bY a:;.: --;4-kW) T53, the AH-1G:.,:=:.s-'.'e servlce in Vietnam..'.'=:: l.nverted as TH-]G dual-
..': - ::--:.ers The AH-tJ SeaCobra: '-= r-rSi r,vrn-engine version, for
'-: l.l=:-:.e Corps wrth an I 800-shp.:', '.',' T+J0 Lnstallatroni in 1974-5 a,. -: 212'lrrth TOW mrssrles was
-:,.= j :: iran The AH-IQ was an'=:.:.
-S irny version adapted from:- I :.=--:opters wLth TOW missrles,. ,- '..=- AH-]R has the 1,800-shp
: -:',:',',' lc3-703 engtne but no pro-.. :. :,r :ie TOW mrssrle. The cur-:.' - S -:.lil,r model is the AH-]S pro,,=: .:- :cur successrvely rmproved
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--;:.: 3bse:-"'at:on Helicopter) con-'::: r,':::. po:entral production for a::::-:;-.lle total. When the HughesC:{-6A Cayuse won there was a storm:: :::resr it being claimed the com-: r:.'.' '.F/as selling below cost Despite':- = - 415 OH-6s qrave splendid ser-.--:: :r Vietnam, and as its tadpole:.--:ae was extremely compact, and:=:--:rnance on a 317 shp (236-kW).:-.'r:n engine the highest in its class,'--.= lll-6 was most popular. From it the:,:.:any developed the Hughes Mod-:- 500 iamily, the company astutely.=:-:.J ihe considerable market for a'=:-.a:ile hrgh-performance military-=--:lDter of low cost and proven re-.--,-:v The basic Model 500M with
---:::';ed 317-shp (236-kW) engine' .. s:ld to nine countries and licence---::: rn Argentina and Japan, Oper-.'=: by Spain as a light antr-submarine: ::::rm. the Model 500M has AN/.-:-81 magnetic anomaly detectionl '-:-l) gear with a towed 'bird', and
: : -',-sron for two Mk 44 torpedoes, Theilcdel 500MD Defender has the more: -'.';erirl Allison 250-C208 engine and- r-. :ave self-sealing tanks, inlet parti:,= :-:er, IR-suppressinq exhausts, and: ::.'.- role fits includrng seven seats, or-'.: srretchers and two attendants, or-..Lrs weapons, including the TOW
.-.:.-:ank missile and nose-mounted
..;.-.: Lrcensed production proceeds
=. 3:edaNardr (ltaly) and KAL (Southi.-::a), and the type is in worldwide:::'.':ce for trainingr, command and: - :.::cl, Iight attack, observation, logis-,r s,rpport, troop transport and ASW.-:.: Model 500MD Scout Defender rs',-.: rasrc armed versron (wtth a base-
500 Defend
line fit of 14 2,75-in/70-mm rockets plusone 7.62-mm/0,3 in Minigrun wlth 2,000rounds, or one 7,62-mm/0,3-in EX-34Chain Gun with 2,000 rounds, or one3O-mm Chain Gun with 600 rounds, orone 40-mm grrenadelauncher) and asub-type (Model 500MD Quiet Adv-anced Scout Defender) has the MMS(mast-mounted srght) for'hull-down'suweillance or missile gn:tdance, andquiet-running features. The Model500MD/[OW Defender has four TOWmissiles, original deliveries having a
stabilized nose sight The Model500MD Defender II is an updated mul-ti-role model now being deliveredwith quiet rotors (includinq a flve-rather than four-blade main unit),MMS, IR suppressron, FLIR (forward-
looking IR) night vision and many otherdevices including APR-39 passiveradar warninq. This model can carrytwo Stinger air-to-air missiles, indrcat-ing the way in which the helicopter rsbecoming an air{o-air weapon, andthat the company is keeping more thanabreast of developments with thrs clas-sic light helicopter.
SpecificationHughes Model 500MD DefenderTlpe: multi-role combat helicopterAccommodation: twoArmament: options include Hughes 30-mm Chain Cun (firing rate reduced to350 rounds per minute), four TOW mis-siles and two Stinger MLMS AAMsPowerplant: one 420-shp (313-kW)
Alltsci. 2:--l:,i -:: -. --Performar.ce :.:....,-- : .::4111*t :'--- ----- t _
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mrles)Weights: =:.;' j'.; :- . '-. -r'] An lF\riuvv rr
(3,000 rb)Dimensions: :i.:. :. .. r :-.onF* /1eo.uJ llt \4t?i1 * /a):- - - :-LVr tlt \4J - - ,.,103/q Ln). mr-:.::-:: li: -.. - -
(546.0 sq ft)
Kenya is one of many cus!.=..::worldwide for the Hughes i - - ).!-Defender family. this exa=.=.:having a nose-mounted s g :. :
installation to direct the hre :: ::::TOW anti-tank guided m:s-.:.e-:
Armed Combat Helicopte:s
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Helicopter gunships in VietnamLarge Luftwaffe Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 transport helicop-ters invariably had a hand-aimed machine-gun in theirglazednose, and in Korea many Sikorsky H-1 9s had seven tandemrocket launch-tubes bolted on each side of the fuselage tofire straight ahead. ln Algeria in 1 956-63 the French took theconcept of the armed tactical helicopter much further, de-veloping in the harsh school of war new ways to use heli-copters armed with machineguns, cannon, rockets and
wire-guided missiles. In 1957 Colonel Jay D. Vanderpool ofthe US Army formed the first highly experimental Americanplatoon of armed helicopters, but it took five years for a
regular company to be formed. ln Vietnam in 1962 thisproved so useful in providing mobile firepower that it wonover the doubters. Spuned by the vision of LieutenantGeneral Hamilton Howze, US Army, the concept of a heli-copter built solely to carry armament gradually matured in1962-3. ln the latter year Bell privateiy built the small Model207 Sioux Scout, a streamlined Bell 47 with a chin turret,and this led quickly to the machine the USA had beenwaiting for. the Model 209 HueyCobra. The first of theseflew as a company-financed prototype in September 1 965,and it mated the wide-blade 'door hinge' rotor of the UH-1CHuey with a new slim f uselage just wide enough fortandemcockpits for a co-pilot/gunner in the nose and a pilot at a
higher level behind the gunner, This was the first effectivegunship, designed to fly like a fixed-wing fighter whilstcarrying sensors, aiming systems and a variety of weaponseither aimed from a chin turret or fired from stub wings on
each side.Production of this AH-1 G was immediately put in hand on
the largest possible scale, and in Vietnam the type multi-plied the effectiveness of a wide range of missions. The USArmy got the AH-1 only after a bitter political battle with theUSAF, which claimed a monopoly of tactical combat air-
craft. ln fact the USAF had never been able to provide a
single such aircraft tailored to the tasks of escorting troop-carrying helicopters or keeping enemy heads down as suchmachines were arriving at an LZ (landing zone). Later AH-1helicopters received powerful anti-armour weapons, butearly examples had armament for use against infantry. TheEmerson TAT-102 chin turret was fitted with an M134rapid-fire Minigun, and various guns including M134s couldbe bolted on the sides. By 1968 the usual chin turret wasEmerson's M28 with two weapon positions either of whichcould be occupied by an M134 with 4,000 rounds or anM129 launcher with 300 grenades of 40-mm (1.57-in)
calibre. Side arms included many rocket pods, cannon pods
ard special launchers.ln the final four years of the Vietnam war (1968-72) the
jnd battles saw important use of three types of USA heli-.oDter, the UH-1 'Huey', the AH-1 Cobra (called theS.ake'), and the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse (called the 'Loach'
"om its original designatlon LOH). All operated together.lach US Army division usually had an 'air cavalry' trooprade up of a 1 st Platoon (Aero Scouts) whose Snakes and
-oaches would carefully reconnoitre the country around a
-ostile ground force and mark a chosen LZ, a 2nd Platoon
-rft) with Hueys for transport of troops and supplies, a 3rd
= atoon {Weapons) with Cobras, and a 4th Platoon (ARP,
-eaning Aero Rifle Platoon) bringing infantry with Hueys.I re. 600,000 hours were flown by the Cobras, Loaches and
='ev; armed Hueys in the closest proximity to the enemy,r,-.se antl-aircraft capabilities increased all the time. The: :se team of Cobras (Snakes) and Loaches used seven::-munications radios. laser beams, 14 coloured:,'::echnics. air-dropped radio beacons and special sen-s:'s ^ lherr unprecedented tasks within a few metres of-:s: e troops Constant agilitywasvital. and the likelihood
-' :3<,^g strikes from ground fire on each mission often: '::3oed 60 per cent. Casualties were inevitably heavy, buta- a*azt.g number of Cobra crews were recovered. Cap--. - --gi. Mills flew 3,300 hours in 1,019 combat Snake
-:::^s. in the course of which he was shot down 16- -=: - :e(ainly a record for any helicopter pilot.
: . '?-: SMASH {Southeast Asia Multi-sensor Arma-
-:-- !.s::- for HueyCobra) was in action, with high--:r: -::- -::a, with MTI imoving-target indlcation) and
:':.. .: : -::a ver to give superior vision at night or in::,:-.: r,:::-3r SMASH Snakes operatedwith groups of::-:--: ,s -r -,3h-intensity Xenon searchlights, batteries of
-::. -i:: 3--3C landing lights and Starlight Scopes (image-:=-s'=-s 3'' Julv 1972 kills were being registered with:^: -ar, -C,r, - ssile.
Above : UH - I B H uey in action inSouth V ietnam. I t is fitted with twoseven-tube rocket launchers, andfour 7.6 2 -mm M 60 machine-gunsare fked to fire forwards. Hereanother M60 is aimed to the rear.
Right: Looking ahead from aBelltJH - I B I roquois (62- I 25 I 5 ),operated by Detachment7 ofLigh t H elico p t er Attack S quadron3, IJ S N avy. A firing run is beingmade on aVietCong samPan.
Below : The U H - I D offered muchgr e ater c abin volum e thanprevious Huey versions, withroom for up to 14 trooPs. Here thelarge side door is slid aft toraimed fire with M60s.
Above: One ofthe numerous UH- lB Hueys builtfor:he US Army but transferred to the Navy in SouthiaslAsia. This model has the short cabin andsingleTS3 engine.
.:-bove: Many of the early AH- I G HueyCobra;unship helicopters inVietnam were painted with-:.:ark's teefh. This example may have been fitted'.'. :th a replacement M28 chin turret, because the: ;rret was usually painted red.
Above:A7.62-mm (0.3-in)Browning is the gurbeing used by a gunner through the open doon"'eof a UH-ID inVietnam. Such defence-suppressrc.:fire was a necessary preliminary to the delive4' c:troops in dispufed areas.
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-: :-:..:. j ::.= co-prloL/gtunner, an:.. -rlarred by Huohes
:' . r .. -: . r. r . - )+ 'wo T700 enginesr'.::--r :- :r:','Lde hrgh emergency
: .. : . : .'. . .:. -arge IF 'suppressing. r -: --.'-: =:rs ic reduce the chances: ..-- ;-'.'.:. -i.-:romrngmissrle, alarge
:' :,.r.:= r:.:.rcy wrth boron armour,..'-'-::-:.r :::rnless steel and glass-
:-:: : -::laCes designed to with-.. - :.::.: :,:ts extremely compre-
:.,-:. : :'.'.,rr3S and weapon flts, and..r:.:i, -.: :r:sh reststant features tor':: .:.: ::ew Allthesefeaturesare'... .:. . ::rbat hehcopter designed. --r:r :.(: lhe most arduous of bat---=,,: :,.:s by day and mght, and-.. -:. i=r ::e most adverse of weath-
: - :.r.'--:-s Developmentwasunfor--: .'=..- :::l:nqred the flrst prototype': : .:. :- September 1975 and the
,.r:r:r.:--= beLng hard hrt by mod-r , - ,-, : - :nat rnflation has multrplled
= :,:,:: :nd not all the planned 536: -r:.:: r.ay be funded Appearance. .: :- j j:amatLcally during develop-- : - =,.:e:tally at the nose and tall,
and the nose carrres the Martin Manet-ta TADSiPNVS (Target Acqursitronand Designatlon SrghvPilot's Night VL-sron System). New mrssiles have be-come available, and as well as laserdesignation and rangrng an IHADSS(lntegrated Helmet And Drsplay Stght-ing System) is fitted both crew mem-bers beinq able to acqurre targets byhead movement The type ls due toenter service late rn l9B3 and pro-curement has already been sent backto 446 units. There can be little doubtas to the technrcal excellency and ing-enuity represented by the AH-64AApache, but even the most enthuslas-tic supporter of the type must havegrave reservattons about the locationof the sensor package rn the nose
rather than above the rotor, as thrsmeans the type has to leave cover toacqurre targets, and is thus veryvulnerable
SpecificationHughes AH-64A ApacheType: armed battlefreld helLcopterAccommodation: pilot and co-piloVgunnerArmament: one 30-mm Hughes ChainGun with I,200 rounds and remote arm-ing; four stub-wing hardpoints for nor-mal antr-armour load of l6 Hellfire missiles (initially with laser quidance);other Ioads can rnclude four l8-roundpods of 2.75-in (70-mm) rocketsPowerplant: two 1,536-shp (1 146-kW)General Electric T700-700 h.rrboshafts
Performance: maximum speed (at6316 ks/13,925 lb) 309 km/h (192 mph);ranqe (rnternal fuel) 6ll km (380miles), and (ferry) 1B04km (1,121miles)Weights: empty 4657k9 (10,268 1b);maximum take-off 8006 kq (17,650 lb)Dimensions: main rotor diameter14.63m (4Bft 0in); fuselage length14 97 m (49ft Ir/z in); height 4.22 m(13 ft 10 rn); main rotor disc area168.11 'z
(1,809 5 sq ft)
Air Vehicle 0 6, last of thedeve lopment pr ototy pe s, hoveringpractically at ground level. The AH-64 is the most sophisticated of allbattlefield helicopters, and probablythe most survivable.
Hughes AH-64 Apache
-i-3 to meet the USa: AAH (Advanced
The Hughes AH-64 Apache, certainly the most expensive vehicle ever proposed for use in a land battle.
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Armed Forces of the World
Iapcill C- 1951 the Americans approved the forma-
: cn in Japan of the National Police Reserve,-ainly for internal security duties, so allowlng-merican occupational troops in Japan to besent to South Korea. This new force was soon-:named the National Safety Force and was:ren merged with the Maritime Safety Fo_rce,
:nd this ih tgS+ became the Japanese Self-Jefense Forces. ln the 1950s much of the:quipment came from the USA, but in the-960s the Japanese started to design and de-. elop systems to meet their own specialized'equirements and today most equipment iscullt in Japan. ln the case of high-technologyequipment such as aircraft (for example the'u4cDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and the Lock-^eed P-3C Orion), this is licence-produced-ainly from the USA.
The army-ne Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.iGSDF) has a strength of about 150,000 menand is organized into one armoured and 12rfantry divisions, plus five engineer, one sig-'al, one airborne, two composite, one artilleryand two air-defence brigades.
Over 850 tanks are in service, including therdigenously designed and built Type 61 with a
90-mm gun and the Type 74 with a 105-mmqun (this latter type will remain in productionrntil the late 1980s). APCs include the oldertype SU-60 and about 150 of the more recentType 73. Artillery includes 105-mm M101,155-mm M114 and 203-mm M115 towedhowitzers and a few 155-mm M59'Long Tom'guns, all of which date from World War ll.Self-propelled artillery includes 10 'l 55-mmM44, 30 'l 55-mm M52, 20 105-mm TYPe 7 4(no longer in production) and over 50 155-mmType 75 (currently in production) self-propelled howitzers. Japan is expected toundertake licensed production of the Euro-pean 155-mm FH-70 and the American 203-mm M 1 '1 0A2 self-propelled howitzers. Also inservice are some 50 Type 75 multiple rocket-launcher systems.
Anti-tank defence is provided by about 250Type 60 self-propelled equipments armedwith twin 106-mm recoilless rifles; Type 64,Type 75 and Hughes TOW ATGWs; the Swed-ish 84-mm Carl Gustav light anti-tank weapon(now being made under licence in Japa.); and
TheTTpe 61 Main BattleTankwas the first post-warJapanese tank, and served from 1962 (560p roduced). M ain amamen t was a J apanes e -
developed 90-mm rifled gun. The.Tlpe 6 ) is nowbeing steadily replaced by the Type 74.
57-mm, 75-mrr a.:'le -'- ^c lding Jeep-mounted) stanor'J -:. - ::s 'ires.
Air defence o' :-: - lSl= s Provided bY
obsolete M42 :--^'" .^) -2 7-mm self-propelled ant -: ':':': ;-^s SPAAGs), im-proved rrAV\r =': =.:=.= S-Ms, Oerlikoniwin 35-n^r *- -- '." -5 .rm M51 and90-mm M' - : '-: - ':raf t guns. TheJapanese-de. )^.. .^ SAN'l s expected toenter ser\'a: - :-: ^eai f;t;re, while theAmerican C=-:': -:, nar cs Stinger man-portable S-'.' - :' :: -ade under licence as a
replacer=-: '-'-.'= .:e'Fedeye. To replacetne Mz12 ---^-* Sr:-C a new twin 35-mmsvste- : . -'-=': . 3: r'g Ceveloped under thedesiq-;: -' . -= - 'A,
-\ prodlction systemsw,ll ls+ r-: .r= -J V3T cnassis.
Japa-es= -'ar'!ry r/eapons include the oldArne.::i , -: n (11.43 mm) M3A'l sub-n ac. re c-^ ine 7.62-mm (0.3-in) Type 64ll e.I 62-:--,0.3 in) Type 62 and BrowningO 5- r - 2 i--:^nt M2 HB machine-guns; the60-r-- \i", 81-mm M1, 8'l -mm TYPe 64 and'ai',r:-
'4.2:tn) M30 mortars. The 81 -mmrcrtar s a so mounted in the Type 60 APCJ.der tne designation Type SV 60 self-prope led moTtar carrier, while the 107-mmmortar is mounted in a similar vehicle desig-nated Type SX 60.
The JGSDF also has the Type 67 Model 30rocket-launcher in service. This is fitted to therear of a Hino (6x6) 4{onne truck chassis, andcarries two rockets in the ready-to-launch
(30,600 yards).The JGSDF also operates a r:., -, - -'
craft and helicopters. The {orrre' '- ,.= --
Mitsubishi LR-1 , Fuji LM-1 ard J:.--= ,Bird Dog, which lastwas bl lt ^ -:::- :. :asthe L-19. Helicopters includet-= f : --
position. A second truck carr es s
rockets, each with a range c'
HueyCobra (to be built under ce-107 (Boeing Vertol made under c:-,=160 UH-'1 B/UH-lH lroquo's uI t, -(now being produced under ce'::numbers of the Huqhes TH-55 .numbers of the Hughes TH-55H-'1 3s and some 150 of HuqhesH-'1 3s and some 150 of Hughes C --:series which are produced f or t- = ^-
for civil operators by Kawasa<
The air forceThe Japanese Air Self-Def e-s= : -' -has a strength of 45,000 me^ :- I -:300 combat aircraf t organ:ze: -airwings, one composite a' l . : -- .'
reconnaissance squadron, \'! i :- - ::':McDonnell Douglas RF-4: tr-.-:- -'three fighter/ground-attac< s I -: l' .
equipped with the Mitsrb s- =-. -- =
version of this being tr: - i -:defence squadrons are ec-:::l4EJ built under licence ir -zcz- -
A'Yuushio'-classpafrolsubm artr.e .: ::.. .
Maritime Selt-Defense Force. J apa:. .;.:.locally-built conventional subrna: ::.. s .'. .
further boats on order.
Armed Forces of the World Japan -
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force operates theLockheed F- I04J single-seater in the interceptorrole, and also the F-|14DJ trainer. Both areassembled by Mifsubr'shi.
ron). There are also three transport squadronswhich operate 30 Japanese-built Kawasaki C-'I and 10 NAMC YS-1 1 transport aircraft, onesearch-and-rescue wing with a variety of f ixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, plus the usualtrials, weather-reconnaissance and trainingunits. New equipment on order includes fourLockheed C-130H Hercules transport aircraft,more F-l fighters andT-2 trainers, GrummanE-2C Hawkeye airborne early-warning aircraft(which should prove a valuable asset incountering Soviet aircraft in the Far East) andadditional F-15J fighters and F-1 SDJ trainers.
The navyThe Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force(JMSDF) has a personnel strength of 45,000including a very important naval air arm ofsome '1 4,000. Major surface ships include 33destroyers, '1 6 f rigates, f ive large patrol craft,over 1 0 coastal patrol craft, five fast attackcraft, almost 40 mine-warfare vessels includ-ing three MCM support ships, over 40 amphi-bious warfare craft including six tank landingships, and the usual support vessels. Thereare 14 conventional submarines in service andanother three on order. Many of the des-troyers and frigates are equipped with theAmerican ASROC anti-submarine warfare sys-tem and carry a helicopter for ASW. Missilesfitted to the warships include the Sea Sparrowand Standard SAMs and the Harpoon surface-to-surface missile. The Amerlcan GeneralDynamics Phalanx 20-mm close-in weaponsystem is being fitted to a number of surface
The anti-submarine destroyer Asakaze r's unlrkeearlierJapanese destroyers in that she has an up-to-datemrssi/e-based air defence in addition top ote n t an ti- su bm a r ine we a pon ry.
The Shin Meiwa US- I is an amphibious adaptationof the PS- I flying-boat, configared for search andrescue duties with theJMSDF. Eight aircraft wereordered, serving with N o. 7 I S AR S qn o{ the J M SDF.
craft to provide protection against anti-shipping missiles.
The naval air arm includes seven maritimereconnaissance squadrons with almost 68Kawasaki P-2J Neptune and 21 GrummanS-2F-1 Tracker landplanes, and 'l 9 Shin MeiwaPS-'l flying-boats. There are six ASW helicop-ter squadrons equipped with some 50 Mitsu-bishi-built SH-3 series helicopters, one mine-countermeasures squadron with seven Kawa-saki-built Boeing Vertol KV-107 helicopters,plus transport, training, test and evaluation,and search-and-rescue flights equipped with avariety of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.
There is no national service in Japan andservice is voluntary. For some years the USAhas been putting increasing pressure on Japanto increase spending on defence, which repre-sents only 0.9 per cent of the gross nationalproduct. This compares with 6.1 per cent forthe United States, 4.3 per cent for West Ger-many and 3 per cent for Australia (all based on1981 figures). Japan spends less of her GNPon defence than any other country in NATO,Europe and the Far East. Many of the systemsused by the Japanese armed forces are built invery small numbers and are therefore veryexpensive; and it is Japanese governmentpolicy to build equipment in Japan rather thanto obtain it from abroad.
Order of BattleGround Self-Defense ForceOne armoured division12 infantry divisionsOne airborne brigadeTwo composite brigades-wo a,r defence artillery br;gbdesOne artillery brigadeFive engineer brigadesOne signals brigadeEight SAM groupsOne helicopter wing (Kawasaki KV-10711)24 squadrons of aircraft and helicopters (Hughes
OH-6, Bell/Fuli UH-1 B/H, Mitsubishi LR-1)
Air Self-Defense ForceThree FGA squadrons (Mitsubishi F-1)1'1 interceptor squadrons (F-4EJ Phantom, F-104J
Starfighter, F-1 5J Eagle)One reconnaissance squadron (RF-4EJ Phantom)Three transport squadrons (Kawasaki C-1A, NAMC
YS-1 1 C/E)One search and rescue wing (Shin Meiwa US-1)One air test winoOne weather grdupFive training wings with 10 squadrons (Fuii T-1A,
Mitsubishi T-2A, Fuji T-3 etc)'19 SAM squadrons
Maritime Self-Defense Force49 destroyers and frigates20 patrol craft include five large and five fast attac<
craft40 mine warfare vessels40 plus amphibious warfare craft. including six LS-s14 submarines with three more on orderSeven MR squadrons with more than 100 aircra':
(including P-2J Neptunes, S-2F-1 Trackers, Sh:Meiwa flying-boats Lockheed P-3C Orions)
Six ASW helicopter squadrons with 50 SH-3sOne MCM helicopter squadron with seven KV-10-s
