Combat Helicopters/Choppers

[Muradk]

AH 64/AD APACHE

The Apache is a twin-engined army attack helicopter developed and built by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and is in service with the US Army and has been exported to Egypt, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT

The US Army took first delivery of the Apache in 1984. All AH-64A Apaches are to be upgraded to AH-64D with a more powerful engine by the year 2010. The AH-64D Longbow is fitted with the Longbow millimetric fire control radar and the Longbow Hellfire missile. The US Army have more than 800 Apaches in service and more than 1000 have been exported. A consortium of GKN Westland, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse and Shorts bid a version of the Longbow Apache for the UK Army attack helicopter requirement which was selected in July 1995. Assembly of the WAH-64D Longbow Apache is being carried out in the UK by GKN Westland.

The Apache was first used in combat in December 1989 in the US military action in Panama. The Apache was used again in the Gulf War in which 15 battalions were equipped with 288 Apache helicopters. The Apache has also supported low intensity and peacekeeping operations world wide including Turkey and Bosnia.

GUNS

A 30 mm automatic McDonnell Douglas M230 Chain Gun is located under the fuselage. It provides a rate of fire of 625 rounds per minute. the helicopter has capacity for up to 1,200 rounds of ammunition.

MISSILES

The Longbow Apache, AH-64D, is equipped with the millimeter-wave Longbow radar from Westinghouse and the AGM-114D Longbow Hellfire missile from Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The Longbow fire control radar incorporates an integrated radar frequency interferometer for passive location and identification of radar emitting threats. An advantage of millimetre wave is that it performs under poor visibility conditions and is less sensitive to ground clutter. The short wavelength allows a very narrow beamwidth which is resistant to countermeasures.

The Longbow Apache can effect an attack in thirty seconds. The radar dome is unmasked for a single radar scan and then remasked. The processors determine the location, speed and direction of travel of a maximum of 256 targets. Longbow Hellfire has a millimetre wave seeker which allows the missile to perform in full fire and forget mode. Range is 8 to 12 kilometres. The Apache has been equipped with air-to-air missiles (Stinger, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Mistral and Sidearm) and 2.75 inch rockets. Short Brothers of Belfast, Northern Ireland has been contracted by the US Army for the trial of the Starstreak missile on the Longbow Apache helicopter, and the integration with the Target Acquisition Designation Sight (TADS).

The Longbow Apache carries the combination of armaments chosen for the particular mission. In the close support role the helicopter carries 16 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles on four 4-rail launchers and four air-to-air missiles.

SYSTEMS

The Longbow Apache also has an improved reconnaissance capability. Modifications to the design include an integrated navigation system incorporating a global positioning system, GPS, Doppler navigation, inertial navigation, and air data/laser and radar altimeter navigation. A data modem provides the interface for the secure transfer of digital data with Joint-STARS which is the US Air force surveillance and target attack radar system, and with the UH-60 Black Hawk.

TARGET ACQUISITION AND NIGHT VISION

The Target Acquisition Designation Sight, TADS, designation AN/ASQ-170, and the Pilot Night Vision Sensor, PNVS, designation AN/AAQ-11, were developed by Lockheed Martin. The turret-mounted TADS provides direct view optics, television and three fields of view forward looking infra-red (FLIR) to carry out search, detection and recognition. The laser rangefinder/designator integrated with the TADS was developed by Litton Laser Systems. PNVS consists of a FLIR in a rotating turret located on the nose of the Apache immediately above the TADS. The image from the PNVS is displayed in a monocular eyepiece which is part of the Honeywell integrated Helmet And Display Sighting System, HADSS, which is worn by the pilot and by the copilot gunner.

ELECTRONIC WARFARE

The Apache is equipped with an electronic warfare suite consisting of: AN/APR-39A (V) radar warning receiver from Litton and Lockheed Martin; AN/ALQ-144 infra-red countermeasures set from Sanders, a Lockheed Martin company; AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver from Hughes Danbury Optical Systems; AN/ALQ-136(V) radar jammer developed by ITT; and chaff dispensers.

STRUCTURE

The Apache has been designed for high survivability in combat. the helicopter can continue fight for a further 30 minutes following impact by 12.7 mm rounds directed from the ground. Some sections of the helicopter, such as the main rotor blades, are also tolerant to hits by 23 mm rounds. The crew stations are fitted with Kevlar seats. The cockpits are protected by boron armour shielding rated to provide protection against 12.7 mm rounds. The four blades of the main rotor can be folded or removed for transportation, and are specified to be tolerant to 23 mm shell impact.

ENGINES

The Apache is equipped with two turboshaft engines each providing 1265 kW. The American Apache has the type T700-GE-701 from General Electric and the engine chosen for the UK Apache is the type RTM322 from Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca. The engines mounted above the fins on either side of the fuselage are armour protected. The thermal signature of the helicopter has been reduced by incorporating a system of exhaust nozzles to reduce the temperature of the gases from the engine exhaust and the temperature of the external metal surfaces.

 

[Muradk]

KA-50 BLACK SHARK

The Ka-50 Black Shark helicopter, developed by Kamov Helicopters JSC, carries the NATO codename Hokum A, Hokum B being the two-seat version, Ka-52. Ka-50 is also known as Werewolf. It entered service in the Russian Army during 1995 and is in full production at the Sazykin Aviation Company Progress based in Arseniev maritime Territory, Russia. It is a high performance combat helicopter with day and night capability, high survivability and fire power to defeat air targets and heavily armoured tanks armed with air defence weapons.

WEAPON SYSTEMS

The Ka-50 helicopter is fitted with observation and sighting systems together with navigation, communication and other systems to enable one crew-member to pilot and engage hostile forces in combat. A combination of various armaments to a maximum weapon load of 2 tons are selected according to the mission, including anti-tank missiles, unguided aerial rockets of different calibres, air-to-air missiles, guns, bombs and other weapons.

The helicopter has small mid-mounted wings fitted with four underwing suspension units and wingtip countermeasures pods. Up to 12 Vikhr supersonic antitank missiles can be mounted on the helicopter's two underwing external stores.

The missiles are automatically guided to the selected air or ground target using laser beam riding and feature a high degree of jam resistance. The Vikhr missile has a target hit probability close to one, against a tank at a range of up to 8 km. The kill probability is also rated very highly with the capability of penetrating all types of armour including active armour up to 900 mm thick.

The Ka-50 is armed with a 2A42 quick-firing 30-mm gun which has an unrestricted azimuth and elevation range mounting for use against airborne or ground targets. The gun is mounted near the centre of gravity of the helicopter for consistent accuracy. The gun is equipped with 460 rounds of ammunition, two types being carried, high-fragmentation and explosive incendiary rounds and armour-piercing rounds. The pilot selects the type of ammunition in flight. The weight of the ammunition is 0.39 kg each round, the muzzle velocity is 980 m/s and the range is up to 4 km. The gun provides an angular firing accuracy of 2 to 4 mrad.

AVIONICS

Flight systems include inertial navigation system (INS), autopilot and head-up display (HUD). Sensors include FLIR (forward-looking infrared) and terrain-following radar.

COUNTERMEASURES

Ka-50 is fitted with radar warning receiver, electronic warfare system and chaff and flare dispenser.

ENGINES

The Ka-50 is powered by two TV3-117VMA turboshafts engines each providing 2,200 horsepower. The power plant is fitted with deflectors and separators to prevent dust ingestion in the air intakes which protects the engines from wear when taking off from unprepared sites. The engines are placed on either side of the fuselage to enhance the combat survivability. The helicopter also has an auxiliary power unit (APU) for self-contained operation.

CO-AXIAL ROTORS

The coaxial rotor design provides a hovering ceiling of 4,000 metres and vertical rate of climb of 10 metres per second at an altitude of 2,500 metres. The rotor blades are made from polymer materials. The hingeless main rotor head requires no lubrication.

The coaxial-rotor configuration results in moments of inertia values relative to vertical and lateral axes being between 1.5 to 2 times less than the values found in conventionally designed combat single rotor helicopters with tailrotors. Absence of the tail rotor enables the helicopter to perform flat turns within the entire flight speed range. A maximum vertical g-load of 3.5 combined with low moments of inertia give the Ka-50 a high level of agility and manoeuverability.

SURVIVABILITY

Two separately mounted engines at a maximum distance reduce the probability of their simultaneous damage. The powerplant has an operational life 30 minutes without oil, giving the pilot the opportunity to land in a safe location in the event that the oil system is damaged in combat. The helicopter also has duplicated and stand-by hydraulic and power systems and main control circuits.

Extensive all-round armour installed in the cockpit protects the pilot against 12.7 mm armour piercing bullets and 23 mm projectile fragments. The rotor blades are rated to withstand several hits of ground-based automatic weapons providing the capability of safe flight completion after sustaining impact.

Protection of fuel tanks against explosion hazards and fuel leakage is provided by porous fuel tank fillers and fuel tank self-sealing covers, and a comprehensive fire extinguishing system is installed. Engine exhaust heat screens reduce the thermal signature of the helicopter and flare dispensers protect the helicopter against heatseeking missiles.

The Ka-50 is the world's first operational helicopter with a rescue ejection system, which allows pilot to escape at all altitudes and speeds. The K-37-800 Rocket Assisted Ejection System is manufactured by the Zvezda Research and Production Enterprise Joint Stock Company in the Moscow Region. The seat operates by pulling the pilot from the helicopter cabin using a solid-propellant rocket motor. The system comprises the seat, a control unit and a pullout rocket motor. The seat is fitted with a survival pack containing an NAZ-7M survival kit, a life raft and a PS-37A parachute system. The seat provides safe forced emergency escape from helicopters in the speed range 0 to 350 km/hour and at altitude 0 to 6,000 metres. The seat also provides safe ejection during inverted flight (at speeds 0 to 330 km/h with zero vertical velocity) at a minimum altitude of 90 metres.

MAINTENANCE

Built in test and diagnostics equipment ensures fast maintenance turnaround time. Under operational conditions the helicopter has a 12-day combat availability with minimum maintenance during off-base deployment.

SPECIFICATION
KA-50 BLACK SHARK
Dimensions
Main rotor diameter 14.5 metres
Length with rotating rotors 15.9 metres
Overall height 4.9 metres
Wing span 7.3 metres
Weights
Empty weight 7,692 kg
Normal take off weight 9,800 kg
Maximum take off weight 10,800 kg
Weight of consumable combat load 610 kg
Weight of maximum combat load 1,811 kg
Engines
Two TV3-117VMA engines 2 x 2,200 h.p
Landing gear Retractable tricycle nosewheel type landing gear
Performance
Maximum level flight speed 310 km/h
Diving speed 390 km/h
Cruise speed 270 km/h
Hovering ceiling 4,000 metres
Service ceiling 5,500 metres
Vertical rate of climb at 2,500 m 10 m/s;
Range of flight with normal take-off 460 km
Weight
Ferry range 1,160 km

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[Blackpearl]

Appache, My Favourite, and one of the best gunship helicopter of the world.

 

[Muradk]

TIGER

he Tiger helicopter is being developed in two configurations, an antitank helicopter and a combat support helicopter, by the international Eurocopter company and funded by Germany and France.

TIGER ANTI-TANK HELICOPTER

The requirements for the Tiger anti-tank helicopter are the identification and engagement of ground targets by day and night to ranges exceeding 5 km, low detectability, and a self-defence capability.

ANTI-TANK CONFIGURATION

Tiger has a mast-mounted sight with infra-red charge coupled device (IRCCD) camera and laser rangefinder. The displays in the cockpit are four colour with a digital map and two helmet mounted sights and displays. There is a nose-mounted forward looking infra-red (FLIR) with a 40 x 30 degree field of view. The German version of Tiger is equipped with a GEC-Marconi Avionics integrated Day and Night Helmet.

The French Tigre helicopter has a helmet mounted sight from Sextant Aviaonique for both crew stations, and a head up display from Sextant Avionique for the pilot.

ANTI-AIR MISSILES

Tiger can be equipped with four MISTRAL or four Stinger air-to-air missiles. The air-to-air missile control functions are on the flight control grip. Target acquisition is achieved by using the joystick to steer the sight manually or with automatic tracking. The FIM-92 Stinger missile, produced by Hughes and under licence by Dornier GmbH, is equipped with a 1 kg warhead and range up to 5 kilometres. The Mistral missile is manufactured by Matra Bae Dynamics. It is equipped with a 3 kg warhead. Range is 6 kilometres.

ANTI-TANK MISSILES

The Tiger is armed with HOT and TRIGAT LR anti-tank missiles. The anti-tank missiles are used by the gunner Only one weapon is activated at a time. The TRIGAT LR missile has been developed by the Euromissile consortium, funded by the UK and Germany. Range is 500 metres to 5000 metres. The firing rate for salvo firing is quoted as up to four missiles in eight seconds. TRIGAT LR can be applied in direct attack or terminal dive attack modes.

The HOT missile is a short to medium range missile developed by Euromissile. Range is up to 4000 metres.

COMBAT SUPPORT TIGER

In its combat support role the Tiger uses a gun for short range engagements and 68 millimetre rockets at medium and long range. It can be equipped with Mistral missiles to engage airborne threats.

COMBAT SUPPORT CONFIGURATION

The helicopter is equipped with a turreted 30mm gun together with either four Mistral missiles, 44 rockets plus 4 Mistral missiles, or 68 rockets. Only one weapon can be activated at a time.

The Combat Support Tiger has a roof-mounted sight with a gyrostabilised platform, infrared camera, charge coupled device television camera (CCD TV), laser rangefinder and direct optical sight. The combat support Tiger helicopter for the French Army (Tigre HAP) is equipped with a 30 mm AM-30781 automatic cannon from Giat. Rate of fire is 750 rounds per minute. The Tigre HAP also carries four Mistral missiles and two pods each carrying twenty two SNEB 68 mm rockets. It can alternatively carry an additional two pods each carrying 12 rockets in place of the four Mistral missiles.

STRUCTURE

In order to minimise the weight approximately 80% of the airframe has been constructed of composite materials. The frames and beams have been fabricated from Kevlar and carbon laminates. Panels are composed of Nomex honeycomb material with carbon and Kevlar skins. The helicopter blades are of fibre-composite construction. Radar reflective structures and surfaces have been minimised. Low infra-red reflection paints have been used and an IR suppressor has been fitted to the engine exhaust.

The self-sealing tanks are equipped with an inert gas system to avoid the danger of an explosive fuel vapour and air mix. the engines are separated by armour plate to prevent the loss of both engines in the event of a single direction hit. The helicopter has nuclear, biological and chemical warfare (NBC) and nuclear electromagnetic pulse protection.

AVIONICS

The avionics suite includes:

* a dual redundant data bus, MIL 1553B
* four multi-function colour displays, two for the pilot and two for the gunner
* autonomous navigation systems
* automatic flight control system
* digital map generator
* radar and laser warning receivers

AUTOMATIC FLIGHT CONTROL

The Automatic Flight Control System, AFCS, consists of two redundant digital computers which control attitude hold, heading hold, capture and hold of altitude, hold of doppler hover, hold of hover height as determined by radar altimeter, capture and hold of line of sight, hold of vertical speed, the navigation mode and gun firing compensation.

CONTROL AND DISPLAY UNIT

Each crew station is equipped with a Control and Display Unit, CDU. Navigation, communications, and system status are controlled via the CDU. The CDU consists of a display, an array of mode selection and data entry keys, and a Data Insertion Device (DID). The DID is a removable memory pack preprogrammed with mission data at a ground station.

NAVIGATION

The navigation system contains two three-axis ring laser gyro units from Sextant Avionique, two magnetometers, two air data computers, a four-beam Doppler radar CMA 2012 from Canadian Marconi, a radio altimeter, a global positioning system and a suite of low air speed sensors.

MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAYS

Each cockpit is equipped with two multi-function colour displays supplied by Sextant Avionique and VDO Luftfahrtgerate Werk GmbH, which display imagery from the gunnerÕs sight, the Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) sight, and video image from the digital map generator which is supplied by Dornier and VDO.

SPECIFICATION TIGER
Design mission weight 5400 kilograms
Alternate gross weight 6000 kilograms
Length 14 metres
Height 3.81 metres
Wing span 13 metres
Hover out of ground effect (OGE) 3200 metres, anti-tank version
3500 metres, combat support version
Vertifcal rate of climb 5.2 metres, per sec, anti-tank version
6.4 metres per sec, combat support version.
Maximum rate of climb 10.7 metres per sec, anti-tank version
11.5 metres per sec, combat support version
Flight speed, armed 145 knots, anti-tank version
155 knots, combat support version
Cruise speed 124 knots
Design limit speed 161 knots, anti-tank version
174 knots, combat support version
Maximum range, internal fuel 800 km
Mission endurance 2 hours 50 minutes
Maximum endurance, internal fuel 3 hours 25 minutes
Agility 40 degree angle of yaw after first second
Trigat missile range 500 metres to 5 kilometres
Maximum air to air missile range > 5 kilometres Maximum autonomous
Target identification and engagement 5 kilometres
Maximum internal fuel capacity 1020 kilograms
Maximum internal plus external fuel capacity 1575 kilograms

 

[Imran Khan]

sir post pics please when you fly on APACHE
or send me by mail you are one of my favrites but stil i never see you .

 

[Righteous_Fire]

Apparently, many analysts believe that both the Tiger and the Black Shark development programs were mainly inspired from the Apache!!

That is why, whether from the general layout config to micro sys planning, there are still many things similar between them.

This goes to show that the Apache was quite a successful design, both on paper and in the theater.

 

[Righteous_Fire]

Look at this one guys! Shows Apache Operators!

The Green means future users?? and look in there, and you'll notice Paskistan!

 

[virkjee]

Murad sir which configuration of tiger copters are we getting, the anti tank or combat support.

 

[Schizophrenian]

Look at this one guys! Shows


The Green means future users?? and look in there, and you'll notice Paskistan!

Well, just so you know, Wikipedia isn't really a reliable source on Military stuff.
And why would Pakistanian need a beast like Apache is beyond me. Are they facing some Massive armor threat? From who? India?

 

[Patriot]

Well, just so you know, Wikipedia isn't really a reliable source on Military stuff.
And why would Pakistanian need a beast like Apache is beyond me. Are they facing some Massive armor threat? From who? India?

Well, just so you know, it is Pakistan not Pakistanian.

 

[Schizophrenian]

Well, just so you know, it is Pakistan not Pakistanian.

Oops, my bad

 

[Canaan]

Well, just so you know, Wikipedia isn't really a reliable source on Military stuff.
And why would Pakistanian need a beast like Apache is beyond me. Are they facing some Massive armor threat? From who? India?

I think the Apache is quite a versatile platform, not only for defeating armour.
The zionists have had great success in using it for illegal assasinations of Palestinian politicians and activists, and pin point attacks on cars and buildings.

I think it's a good platform (longbow variant) to defeat air defence targets. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Schizophrenian]

I think the Apache is quite a versatile platform, not only for defeating armour.
The zionists have had great success in using it for illegal assasinations of Palestinian politicians and activists, and pin point attacks on cars and buildings.

I think it's a good platform (longbow variant) to defeat air defence targets. Correct me if I am wrong.

Well, maybe you're right. I just have a hunch that Helicopters ain't the best choice for defeating air defense, as SEAD and DEAD missions are solely contributed to fixed wing jets.

 

[Patriot]

Oh Pakistan Army Aviation does not use these type of helicopter for SEAD missions.They're only used for Anti Tank Role...Like our cobras and hopefully in future tiger..SEAD Missions will be done by Pakistan Air Force using MAR1 anti radiation missile..only US can perform SEAD Missions using apaches i guess as they achieve air superiority over battle field very quickly..

 

[Schizophrenian]

only US can perform SEAD Missions using apaches i guess as they achieve air superiority over battle field very quickly.

Really? The way I see it, you gotta be a fixed wing jet with anti-radiation missiles and some sort of electronic warfare ability to qualify as an SEAD-capable aircraft. Clearly Apache doesn't fit in that role, not even with the hands of mighty Uncle Sam.