139-514: (Redirected from H-47 ) H47 may refer to : Boeing-Vertol H-47 Chinook , an American helicopter HMS Blanche (H47) , a Royal Navy B-class destroyer HMS H47 , a Royal Navy H-class submarine Hyampom Airport , in Trinity County, California, United States [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
278-669: A fast rope -rappelling system, and other upgrades. The MH-47D was used by U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment . Twelve MH-47D helicopters were produced. Six were converted from CH-47As and six were converted from CH-47C models. The MH-47E has been used by U.S. Army Special Operations. Beginning with the E-model prototype manufactured in 1991, a total of 26 Special Operations Aircraft were produced. All aircraft were assigned to 2–160th SOAR(A) "Nightstalkers", home based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky . E models were converted from CH-47C airframes. The MH-47E has similar capabilities as
417-547: A CH-47 while taxiing. Another had a retention pin shake loose on a 20 mm cannon and was brought down when its own gun fired through the forward rotor blades. The third was grounded by enemy fire and destroyed by enemy mortar rounds after the crew escaped. During the 1970s, the United States and Iran had a strong relationship, in which the Iranian armed forces began to use many American military aircraft, most notably
556-723: A Chinook that was shot down near Kabul in Kunar Province in June 2005 with all aboard killed, including a 16-member U.S. Special Operations team. Chinook helicopters participated in the 2021 Kabul airlift at the close of military operations in Afghanistan. The Chinook's ability to carry large, underslung loads has been of significant value in relief operations in the aftermath of natural disasters . Numerous operators have chosen to deploy their Chinook fleets to support humanitarian efforts in stricken nations overseas. Following
695-467: A Marine experimental helicopter squadron. In the mid-1960s, the U.S. Army concluded that a purpose-built attack helicopter with more speed and firepower than current armed helicopters was required in the face of increasingly intense ground fire (often using heavy machine guns and anti-tank rockets) from Viet Cong and NVA troops. Based on this realization, and with the growing involvement in Vietnam,
834-760: A common light attack helicopter, other prospective manufacturing participants in the joint initiative included Fokker and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA . In 1986, the governments of Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate an improved version of the A129, alternatively called the Joint European Helicopter Tonal or Light Attack Helicopter (LAH). By 1988, feasibility studies for four different options had been conducted for
973-699: A contract for fifteen extensively modified and upgraded CH-47Fs for the Canadian Forces , later delivered in 2013–2014 with the Canadian designation CH-147F. On 15 December 2009, Britain announced its Future Helicopter Strategy, including the purchase of twenty-four new CH-47Fs to be delivered from 2012. Australia ordered seven CH-47Fs in March 2010 to replace its six CH-47Ds between 2014 and 2017. In September 2015, India approved purchase of fifteen CH-47F Chinooks. On 7 November 2016, Singapore announced that
1112-490: A conventional war ever, as well as the only confirmed helicopter dogfights in history; in particular, Iranian Army Aviation AH-1J SeaCobras engaged with Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8 Hip helicopters of the Iraqi Army Air Corps. The Iranian Cobras also attacked advancing Iraqi divisions in conjunction with fixed-wing F-4 Phantoms armed with Maverick missiles , destroying numerous armoured vehicles and impeded
1251-595: A design and a mock-up were accepted. The prototype (no. 012) was first flown on 10 November 1982. In this same time frame, Kamov was also attempting to submit its own designs for a new helicopter to the military, which they had designed throughout the early and mid 1980s. In 1984, the Mi-28 completed the first stage of state trials, but in October 1984 the Soviet Air Force chose the more advanced Kamov Ka-50 as
1390-494: A digital automated flight control system. Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is an armed helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft , with the offensive capability of engaging ground targets such as enemy infantry , military vehicles and fortifications . Due to their heavy armament they are sometimes called helicopter gunships . Attack helicopters can use weapons including autocannons , machine guns , rockets , and anti-tank missiles such as
1529-539: A greater emphasis on the attack helicopter's anti-tank capabilities came about. Much of the project's organisational framework was rapidly redeveloped between 1987 and 1989; such as the installation of a Franco-German Helicopter Office to act as a program executive agency in May 1989. Due to the end of the Cold War and subsequent defence budgets decreases in the 1990s, financial pressures led to further questions regarding
SECTION 10
#17328008877411668-503: A group of U.S. Navy SEALs. The 38 were members of NATO and allied forces, including 22 Naval Special Warfare operators, five U.S. Army Aviation soldiers, three U.S. Air Force special operations personnel, and seven Afghan National Army commandos. A civilian translator and a U.S. military working dog were also killed in the crash. The crash was the single deadliest during the entire Operation Enduring Freedom campaign. The previous biggest single-day loss for American forces in Afghanistan involved
1807-419: A helicopter in flight. One of the larger 3.5 inch (90mm calibre) models of the bazooka was chosen, and was mounted ahead and to the right of the helicopter to allow the door to remain clear. The bazooka was successfully tested, although it was discovered that it would require shielding for the engine compartment, which was exposed in the model 47 and other early helicopters. The helicopter itself belonged to HMX-1,
1946-591: A key operation of the war, Iranian Chinooks were landed behind Iraqi lines, deployed troops that silenced their artillery, and captured an Iraqi headquarters; the attack took the Iraqi forces by surprise. Despite the arms embargo in place upon Iran, it has managed to keep its Chinook fleet operational. Some of the Chinooks have been rebuilt by Panha . As of 2015, 20 to 45 Chinooks were operational in Iran. In 1976,
2085-467: A major threat even with the presence of organic air defenses. The helicopter gunship became a major tool against tank warfare, and most attack helicopters became more and more optimized for the antitank mission. Amid the opening months of the Korean War era, during August 1950, a joint US Navy and Marine Corps test used a newly acquired Bell HTL-4 helicopter to test if a bazooka could be fired from
2224-699: A maximum gross weight of 33,000 lb (15,000 kg), with a maximum payload about 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) Delivery of the CH-47A Chinook to the U.S. Army began in August 1962. A total of 354 were built. The ACH-47A was known as the Armed/Armored CH-47A (or A/ACH-47A) before being designated ACH-47A as a U.S. Army Attack Cargo Helicopter, and unofficially referred to as Guns A Go-Go . Four CH-47A helicopters were converted to gunships by Boeing Vertol in late 1965. Three were assigned to
2363-517: A more ambitious helicopter design. In 1978, Agusta formally began the design process on what would become the Agusta A129 Mangusta . On 11 September 1983, the first of five A129 prototypes made the type's maiden flight ; the fifth prototype would first fly in March 1986. The Italian Army placed an order for 60 A129s. The A129 was the first European attack helicopter; as such it has several original aspects to its design, such as being
2502-464: A more substantially improved CH-47C. The CH-47B was powered by two Lycoming T55-L-7C 2,850 hp (2,130 kW) engines. It had a blunted rear rotor pylon, redesigned asymmetrical rotor blades, and strakes along the rear ramp and fuselage to improve flying characteristics. It could be equipped with two door-mounted M60D 7.62 mm NATO machine guns on the M24 armament subsystem and a ramp-mounted M60D using
2641-695: A new tandem-rotor helicopter, designated as the Vertol Model 107 or V-107. Around the same time, the United States Department of the Army announced its intention to replace the piston-engine –powered Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave with a new, gas turbine –powered helicopter. During June 1958, the U.S. Army ordered a small number of V-107s from Vertol under the YHC-1A designation; following testing, some Army officials considered it to be too heavy for
2780-602: A number of lead plates were attached to the floor of each Chinook; even with such measures, pilots had to keep their distance from the reactors while also limiting flight times in the vicinity to a maximum of 45 minutes to avoid excessive radiation exposure. In April 2023, multiple Chinooks conducted the evacuation of the US Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan with Special Forces. (see also Sudanese civil war (2023–present) ) Chinooks have been deployed to Mali for MINUSMA . Since
2919-594: A panel of high-level officers was selected to evaluate several prototype versions of armed and attack helicopters to determine which provided the most significant increase in capability to the UH-1B. The three highest-ranked aircraft, the Sikorsky S-61 , Kaman H-2 "Tomahawk" , and the Bell AH-1 Cobra , were selected to compete in flight trials conducted by the Army's Aviation Test Activity. Upon completion of
SECTION 20
#17328008877413058-537: A pioneering example of taking on heavy enemy armor from a slow-flying aircraft. The Germans were also engaged in such ad hoc low-speed light aircraft platforms for ground attack very late in the war, with one subtype of the Bücker Bestmann trainer—the Bü 181C-3 —armed with four Panzerfaust 100 anti-tank grenade launchers, two under each of the low-winged monoplane's wing panels, for the concluding two months of
3197-500: A prototype began on 15 September 1969 with a tethered hover, and four days later the first free flight was conducted. A second prototype was built, followed by a test batch of ten helicopters. A number of other design changes were made until the production version Mi-24A entered production in 1970, obtaining its initial operating capability in 1971 and was officially accepted into the state arsenal in 1972. Numerous versions have been developed to this day. In 1972, following completion of
3336-400: A redesigned cockpit to reduce workload, improved and redundant electrical systems and avionics, and the adoption of an advanced flight control system. It remains one of the few aircraft to be developed during the early 1960s – along with the fixed-wing Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft – that has remained in both production and frontline service for over 60 years. The military version of
3475-412: A separate aviation medium helicopter company, the 147th, had arrived in Vietnam on 29 November 1965. This latter company was initially placed in direct support of the 1st Infantry Division . CH-47 crews quickly learned to mount an M60 machine gun in each of the forward doors. Sometimes they also installed an M2 machine gun to fire from the rear cargo door. The most spectacular mission in Vietnam for
3614-543: A single 40 mm M75 grenade launcher in the XM5/M5 armament subsystem (more commonly seen on the UH-1 series of helicopters). Rare newsreel footage shows one of the aircraft in action supporting the 8th Cavalry Regiment during an ambush at Bông Son, South Vietnam. The surviving aircraft, Easy Money , has been restored and is on display at Redstone Arsenal , Alabama. The CH-47B was an interim upgrade while Boeing worked on
3753-486: A suitable aircraft. The Atlas XH-1 Alpha was the first prototype to emerge from the program. It was developed from an Aérospatiale Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original cockpit with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20 mm cannon on the nose and converting the undercarriage to tail-dragger configuration. The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and
3892-644: A total of 3 prototypes had completed over 400 hours of test flights by this time. By 2004, 3 more prototypes were built, for a total of 6, and a second stage of test flights were concluded on December 15, 2004. In one of the test flights the future commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force Air Force (PLAGAF), Song Xiangsheng ( 宋湘生 ), was on board the prototype. A third stage of intensive test flights followed, taking place during both day and night. By January 2006 weaponry and sensor tests, including firing of live ammunition, had taken place. The helicopter
4031-527: A window from four miles [6.4 km] away at night." However, serious logistical problems limited operations, Apaches in the Iraqi theater flew only one-fifth of planned flight-hours. The "deep attack" role of independently operating attack helicopters came into question after a failed mission, during the 2003 Gulf War attack on the Karbala Gap . A second mission in the same area, four days later, but coordinated with artillery and fixed-wing aircraft,
4170-510: Is a tandem-rotor helicopter originally developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and now manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security . The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name, Chinook, is from the Native American Chinook people of Oregon and Washington state. The Chinook was originally designed by Vertol, which had begun work in 1957 on
4309-569: Is planning to buy sixty airframes to boost heavy lift capability. Spain had seventeen CH-47 which it is planning to upgrade CH-47F standard. By 2023, thirteen CH-47D were upgraded to CH-47F, and additionally, four new build CH-47F were acquired. There have been many versions of the Chinook over the decades, there are variants that involve major upgrades such as engines and avionics, ones for certain tasks, such as Special Operation missions, and finally there are version for certain countries, such as
H47 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4448-687: Is the CH-47F, which features several major upgrades to reduce maintenance, digitized flight controls, and is powered by two 4,733-horsepower (3,529 kW) Honeywell engines. An example of a British upgraded version is the HC.4; the first HC.4 first flew on 9 December 2010. A commercial model of the Chinook, the Boeing-Vertol Model 234, is used worldwide for logging, construction, fighting forest fires, and supporting petroleum extraction operations. In December 2006, Columbia Helicopters Inc purchased
4587-565: Is typically escorted by attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache for protection. Its lift capacity has been found of particular value in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, where high altitudes and temperatures limit the use of helicopters such as the UH-60 Black Hawk ; reportedly, one Chinook can replace up to five UH-60s in the air assault transport role. The Chinook helicopters of several nations have participated in
4726-618: The 2004 Asian tsunami , the Republic of Singapore Air Force assisted in the relief operations in neighboring Indonesia using its Chinooks; similarly, after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake , the Royal Air Force dispatched several Chinooks to Northern Pakistan to assist in recovery efforts. In August 1992, six CH-47Ds were deployed from Fort Bragg in North Carolina to provide relief in the wake of Hurricane Andrew in what
4865-610: The AGM-114 Hellfire . Some attack helicopters are also capable of carrying air-to-air missiles , though mostly for purposes of self-defense against other helicopters and low-flying light combat aircraft . A modern attack helicopter has two primary roles: first, to provide direct and accurate close air support for ground troops; and second, the anti-tank role to destroy grouped enemy armored vehicles . Attack helicopters are also used as protective escort for transport helicopters , or to supplement lighter helicopters in
5004-587: The Argentine Army each deployed two CH-47C helicopters, which were widely used in general transport duties. Of the Army's aircraft, one was destroyed on the ground by 30 mm cannon fire from an RAF GR3 Harrier , while the other was captured by the British and reused after the war. Both Argentine Air Force helicopters returned to Argentina and remained in service until 2002. Three British Chinooks were destroyed on 25 May 1982 when Atlantic Conveyor
5143-686: The Battle of the Caucasus as exemplified by the Night Witches all-female Soviet air unit. Following Operation Overlord in 1944, the military version of the similarly slow-flying Piper J-3 Cub high-wing civilian monoplane, the L-4 Grasshopper, begun to be used in a light anti-armor role by a few U.S. Army artillery spotter units over France; these aircraft were field-outfitted with either two or four bazooka rocket launchers attached to
5282-524: The Canadian Forces ' surviving CH-147Cs and upgraded them to CH-47D. Six more new CH-47Ds were delivered in 1995 for a total of 13. The Dutch CH-47Ds are improved over U.S. Army CH-47Ds, including a long nose for Bendix weather radar, a " glass cockpit ", and improved T55-L-714 engines. As of 2011, the Netherlands planned upgrading 11 of them to the CH-47F standard at a later date. As of 2011, Singapore has 18 CH-47D/SDs, which includes twelve "Super D" Chinooks, in service. In 2008, Canada purchased 6 CH-47Ds from
5421-563: The F-14 Tomcat , as part of a modernization program. After an agreement signed between Boeing and Agusta , the Imperial Iranian Air Force purchased 20 Agusta-built CH-47Cs in 1971. The Imperial Iranian Army Aviation purchased 70 CH-47Cs from Agusta between 1972 and 1976. In late 1978, Iran placed an order for an additional 50 helicopters with Elicotteri Meridionali, but that order was canceled immediately after
5560-690: The Kargil War in 1999, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army found that there was a need for helicopters that can operate at such high-altitude conditions with ease. Limitations in terms of both high payloads and maneuverability of the existing Mi-35 fleet reportedly contributed to India developing indigenous rotorcraft, such as the HAL Prachand and HAL Rudra , to perform multi-role high-altitude combat operations. The HAL Rudra
5699-676: The Libyan Air Force purchased 24 Italian-built CH-47C helicopters, 14 of which were transferred to the Libyan Army during the 1990s. The Libyan Air Force recruited Western pilots and technicians to operate the CH-47 fleet. The Libyan Chinooks flew transport and support missions into Chad to supply Libyan ground forces operating there in the 1980s. Chinooks were occasionally used to transport Libyan special forces in assault missions in northern Chad. In 2002, Libya sold 16 helicopters to
H47 - Misplaced Pages Continue
5838-665: The Soviet Air Forces . This "experimental" trend towards the development of dedicated attack helicopters continued into the 1960s with the deployment of armed Bell UH-1s and Mil Mi-8s during the Vietnam War , to this day the pair of most produced helicopter designs in aviation history. These helicopters proved to be moderately successful in these configurations, but due to a lack of armor protection and speed, they were ultimately ineffective platforms for mounting weapons in higher-threat ground combat environments. Since
5977-724: The Z-10 ( Chinese : 直-10 ; lit. 'helicopter-10'). The 602nd Research Institute was assigned as the chief designer, while Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC) of China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) was assigned as the primary manufacturer. Nearly four dozen other establishments participated in the program. According to Chinese sources, the initial test flights were concluded on December 17, 2003, whereas according to other sources they were completed nine months earlier in March 2003. According to Jane's Information Group ,
6116-552: The lift struts , against German armored fighting vehicles. During the summer of 1944, U.S. Army Major Charles Carpenter managed to successfully take on an anti-armor role with his rocket-armed Piper L-4. His L-4, bearing US Army serial number 43-30426 and named Rosie the Rocketer , armed with six bazookas, had notable success in an engagement during the Battle of Arracourt on September 20, 1944, employing top attack tactics in knocking out at least four German armored vehicles, as
6255-505: The revolution ; 11 of them were delivered after multiple requests by Iran. In the 1978 Iranian Chinook shootdown , four Iranian CH-47Cs penetrated 15–20 km (9–12 mi) into Soviet airspace in the Turkmenistan Military District. They were intercepted by a MiG-23M which shot down one CH-47, killing eight crew members, and forced a second helicopter to land. Chinook helicopters were used in efforts by
6394-656: The type certificate of the Model 234 from Boeing. The Chinook has also been licensed to be built by companies outside the United States, such as Agusta (now AgustaWestland ) in Italy and Kawasaki in Japan. The Army finally settled on the larger Chinook as its standard medium-transport helicopter, and by February 1966, 161 aircraft had been delivered to the Army. The 1st Cavalry Division had brought its organic Chinook battalion (three Chinook companies) when it arrived in 1965 and
6533-465: The 1960s, various countries around the world started to design and develop various types of helicopters with the purpose of providing a heavily armed and protected aerial vehicle that can perform a variety of combat roles, from reconnaissance to aerial assault missions. By the 1990s, the missile-armed attack helicopter evolved into a primary anti-tank weapon. Able to quickly move about the battlefield and launch fleeting "pop-up attacks", helicopters presented
6672-516: The 2011 military intervention was to protect civilians in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1973 . Within days of the Apaches deployment, it had completed a variety of tasks such as destroying tanks, checkpoints held by pro-Gaddafi forces and vehicles carrying ammunitions loyal to Muammar Gaddafi . Apache operations over Libya have been heavily influenced and supported by NATO reconnaissance flights and intelligence missions; information
6811-472: The 53rd Aviation Detachment in South Vietnam for testing, with the remaining one retained in the U.S. for weapons testing. By 1966, the 53rd was redesignated the 1st Aviation Detachment (Provisional) and attached to the 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). By 1968, only one gunship remained, and transport demands prevented more conversions. It was returned to
6950-470: The A129 was derived from the A109 and incorporated to an entirely new forward section. The A129's fuselage is highly angular and armoured for ballistic protection; the composite rotor blades are also able to withstand hits from 23mm cannon fire. The two man crew, comprising a pilot and gunner, sit in a conventional tandem cockpit. During the 1980s, Agusta sought to partner with Westland Helicopters to develop
7089-665: The AH-56 increased substantially. By 1972, when the Cheyenne program was eventually cancelled to make way for the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH), the interim AH-1 "Snake" had built a solid reputation as an attack helicopter. In June 1972 the USMC began deploying AH-1J SeaCobra Attack Helicopters for combat operations in South Vietnam. During the late 1970s, the U.S. Army saw the need of more sophistication within
SECTION 50
#17328008877417228-559: The Afghanistan War, including aircraft from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, and Australia. Despite the age of the Chinook, it is still in heavy demand, in part due its proven versatility and ability to operate in demanding environments such as Afghanistan. In May 2011, an Australian Army CH-47D crashed during a resupply mission in Zabul Province, resulting in one fatality and five survivors. The helicopter
7367-593: The Agusta A129 Mangusta, and in 1988 secured an agreement with the US to purchase AH-1 Cobras and a license to produce BGM-71 TOW missiles; the latter was cancelled following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the resulting arms embargo. The color revolutions prevented the purchase of attack helicopters from Eastern Europe in 1990 and 1991; Bulgaria and Russia rejected Chinese offers to purchase
7506-702: The Army procure the Vertol -built medium transport helicopter. However, funding for full-scale development was not then available, and the Army vacillated on its design requirements. Some officials in Army Aviation thought that the new helicopter should be operated as a light tactical transport aimed at taking over the missions of the old piston-engined Piasecki H-21 and Sikorsky H-34 helicopters, and be consequently capable of carrying about 15 troops (one squad ). Another faction in Army Aviation thought that
7645-789: The BGM-71 TOW were inadequate, and favored an analogue to the AGM-114 Hellfire. The Gulf War highlighted the urgent need for attack helicopters, and revalidated the assessment that a purpose-built design was needed. (At the time, the Chinese military depended on armed utility helicopters such as the Changhe Z-11 and Harbin Z-9.) Also, it demonstrated that the new attack helicopter would need to be able to defend itself against other helicopters and aircraft. The military perceived that once
7784-431: The Block 1F standard by 2011. The upgrade involves improved targeting systems and other avionics which enable the helicopter to use guided missiles for the first time. The Mokopa ATGM was qualified as part of the upgrade process. Gearbox components were improved and cooling problems with the F2 20 mm cannon were also addressed. On 1 April 2011, the South African Air Force received the first five of eleven (one of
7923-500: The CH-47F would replace its older Chinooks, which had been in service since 1994, enabling the Republic of Singapore Air Force to meet its requirements for various operations, including Search and Rescue (SAR), Aeromedical Evacuation (AME), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The German government announced in June 2022 that the CH-47F Block 2 was selected as the winner of its heavy helicopter program to replace its Sikorsky CH-53G Sea Stallion fleet. Germany
8062-463: The Chinook fleet was used for casualty evacuation, and due to the very heavy demand for the helicopters, they were usually overburdened with wounded. Perhaps the most cost effective use of the Chinook was the recovery of other downed aircraft. At the war's peak the US Army had 21 Chinook companies in Vietnam. Pilots discovered the CH-47A's transmission system could not handle the two gas turbines running at full power, and high humidity and heat reduced
8201-431: The Chinook presented a major problem of "customer education". Commanders and crew chiefs had to be constantly alert that eager soldiers did not overload the temptingly large cargo compartment. It would be some time before troops would be experts at using sling loads. The Chinook soon proved to be such an invaluable aircraft for artillery movement and heavy logistics that it was seldom used as an assault troop carrier. Some of
8340-446: The Chinook was the placing of artillery batteries in perilous mountain positions inaccessible by any other means, and then keeping them resupplied with large quantities of ammunition. The 1st Cavalry Division found that its CH-47s were limited to a 7,000-pound (3,200 kg) payload when operating in the mountains, but could carry an additional 1,000 pounds (450 kg) when operating near the coast. As with any new piece of equipment,
8479-584: The Democratic Republic of the Congo . This was the first combat deployment for the helicopter. Three helicopters from 16 Squadron SAAF were deployed to the region and since November 2013 it was involved in heavy fighting alongside the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade , against rebels operating in North Kivu , in particular the M23 militia , which consisted of hardened former government troops equipped with relatively heavy weaponry such as main battle tanks and anti-aircraft weaponry. During its first ever combat mission it proved to be instrumental in routing
SECTION 60
#17328008877418618-512: The French Army took place on 18 March 2005; the first official Tiger delivery to the Germany followed on 6 April 2005. Germany reduced its order to 57 in March 2013. In 2008 OCCAR estimated the project cost at € 7,300,000,000. France's FY2012 budget put their share of the project at €6.3bn (~US$ 8.5bn), implying a programme cost of €14.5bn (~US$ 19.5bn) to the three main partners. At FY2012 prices, their 40 HAP cost €27m/unit (~US$ 36m) and their 40 HAD €35.6m/unit (~US$ 48m), including development costs
8757-406: The French Tigers cost €78.8m (~US$ 106m) each. The Rooivalk project began in early 1984 under the auspices of the Atlas Aircraft Corporation , a predecessor of Denel Aviation . Faced with the increasingly conventional nature of the South African Border War , the South African Defence Force recognised the need for a dedicated attack helicopter and accordingly set along the process of developing
8896-463: The HC-1B was redesignated CH-47A under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system . The Chinook possesses several means of loading various cargoes, including multiple doors across the fuselage, a wide loading ramp located at the rear of the fuselage and a total of three external ventral cargo hooks to carry underslung loads. Capable of a top speed of 170 knots (200 mph; 310 km/h), upon its introduction to service in 1962,
9035-410: The Huey and the Army's tacticians' insistence that initial air assaults be built around the squad. The Army pushed for both the Huey and the Chinook, and this focus was responsible for the acceleration of its air mobility effort. Improved and more powerful versions of the CH-47 have been developed since the helicopter entered service. Often the same airframe was upgraded to later standards, or sometimes
9174-455: The Iranian against Kurdish rebels in 1979. During the Iran–Iraq War , Iran made heavy use of its US-bought equipment, and lost at least eight CH-47s during the 1980–1988 period, most notably during a clash on 15 July 1983, when an Iraqi Mirage F1 destroyed three Iranian Chinooks transporting troops to the front line, and on 25–26 February 1984, when Iraqi MiG-21 fighters shot down two examples. On 22 March 1982, in Operation Fath ol-Mobin ,
9313-734: The Iraqi advance, albeit not completely halting it. The 1990s could be seen as the coming-of-age for the U.S. attack helicopter. The AH-64 Apache was used extensively during Operation Desert Storm with great success, being used to fire the first shots of the conflict, destroying Iraqi early warning radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites with their Hellfire missiles . They were later used successfully in both of their operational roles, to direct attack against enemy armor and as aerial artillery in support of ground troops; both Hellfire missile and cannon attacks by Apaches destroyed numerous enemy tanks and armored cars. General Carl Stiner claimed that: "You could fire that Hellfire missile through
9452-440: The J model built by and for Japan. The pre-1962 designation for Model 114 development aircraft that would be redesignated CH-47 Chinook. The all-weather, medium-lift CH-47A Chinook was powered initially by Lycoming T55 -L-5 engines rated at 2,200 horsepower (1,640 kW), which were replaced by the T55-L-7 rated at 2,650 hp (1,980 kW) engines or T55-L-7C engines rated at 2,850 hp (2,130 kW). The CH-47A had
9591-410: The LAH, these would have between 80 per cent and 20 per cent growth over the initial A129; both single-engine and twin-engine configurations were examined using various new powerplants, as well as a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved sensors and more powerful armament. However, the LAH project collapsed in 1990 following Britain and the Netherlands independently deciding to withdraw from
9730-489: The M41 armament subsystem. Some CH-47 "bombers" were equipped to drop tear gas or napalm from the rear cargo ramp onto Viet Cong bunkers. The CH-47B could be equipped with a hoist and cargo hook. The Chinook proved especially valuable in "Pipe Smoke" aircraft recovery missions. The "Hook" recovered about 12,000 aircraft valued at over $ 3.6 billion during the war; 108 were built. The CH-47C featured more powerful engines and transmissions. Three sub-versions were built,
9869-506: The MH-47D, but with increased fuel capacity similar to the CH-47SD and terrain following/terrain avoidance radar. In 1995, the Royal Air Force ordered eight Chinook HC3s , effectively a lower cost MH-47E for special operations. They were delivered in 2001, but never became operational due to technical issues with their avionics fit, unique to the HC3. In 2008, work started to revert the HC3s to HC2 standard, to enable them to enter service. As of 2017 they were upgraded to HC5 standard with
10008-548: The Mi-24, development began on a unique attack helicopter with transport capability. The new design had a reduced transport capability (3 troops instead of 8) and was called the Mil Mi-28 . In 1977, a preliminary design of the Mil Mi-28 was chosen, in a classic single-rotor layout. Its transport capability was removed and it lost its similarity to the Mi-24. Design work on the Mi-28 began under Marat Tishchenko in 1980. In 1981,
10147-486: The Mi-28N, like all-weather action ability, lower cost, and similarity to the Mi-24, have become more important. In 2003, the head of Russian Air Force stated that the Mi-28N and Ka-50 attack helicopters will become the standard Russian attack helicopter. The first serial Mi-28N was delivered to the Army on 5 June 2006. In 1979, the Chinese military studied the problem of countering large armor formations. It concluded that
10286-522: The Middle East, attack helicopters are being seen more in a multipurpose role. Tactics, such as tank plinking , showed that fixed-wing aircraft could be effective against tanks, but helicopters retained a unique low-altitude, low-speed capability for close air support. Other purpose-built helicopters were developed for special operations missions, including the MH-6 for extremely close support. During
10425-618: The Mil Mi-24. While attempting to import foreign designs failed, war games determined that attack helicopters had to be commanded by the army, rather than the air force. This led to the formation of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force Aircraft (PLAGFAF), with an initial strength of 9 Harbin Z-9s . The PLAGFAF conducted tactical experiments that would help define the future Z-10's requirements. Research also decided that anti-tank missiles like
10564-706: The SAAF that the concept was feasible, opening the door for the development of the Rooivalk. During the Rooivalk's development, it was decided to base the aircraft on the dynamic components of the Aérospatiale Super Puma , a larger and more powerful helicopter. These components were already used on the Atlas Oryx , a local upgrade and modification of the Aérospatiale Puma . Unfortunately,
10703-564: The U.S. Army developed the requirements for a dedicated attack helicopter, the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS). The aircraft design selected for this program in 1965, was Lockheed's AH-56 Cheyenne . As the Army began its acquisition of a dedicated attack helicopter, it sought options to improve performance over the continued use of improvised interim aircraft (such as the UH-1B/C). In late 1965,
10842-560: The U.S. for the Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan for $ 252 million. With 1 CH-47D lost to an accident, the remaining five were sold in 2011 after the end of Canada's Afghanistan mission and replaced with seven CH-147Fs. The U.S. Army is surplusing many of its CH-47Ds for use in FAA restricted category. The MH-47D was developed for special forces operations and has inflight refueling capability,
10981-647: The United Arab Emirates, as due to the Western embargo and lack of funds, maintaining them was difficult. The sale to UAE was a $ 939 million package that included equipment, parts, and training. The number of CH-47s still in existence or operational during the ongoing Libyan civil wars that started in 2011 is not known. The Chinook was used both by Argentina and the United Kingdom during the Falklands War in 1982. The Argentine Air Force and
11120-606: The United States Department of the Army announced its intention to replace the Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave , which was powered by piston engines , with a new, gas turbine-powered helicopter. Turbine engines were also a key design feature of the smaller UH-1 "Huey" utility helicopter. Following a design competition, in September 1958, a joint Army–Air Force source selection board recommended that
11259-517: The United States, and the program stopped. The ACH-47A carried five 7.62 × 51 mm M60D machine guns or .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2HB heavy machine guns , provided by the XM32 and XM33 armament subsystems, two 20 mm M24A1 cannons , two 19-tube 2.75-inch (70 mm) Folding Fin Aerial Rocket launchers (XM159B/XM159) or sometimes two M18/M18A1 7.62 × 51 mm gun pods , and
11398-459: The airframes were built to the newer upgrade. The U.S. Army's first major design leap was the now-common CH-47D, which entered service in 1982. Improvements from the CH-47C included upgraded engines, composite rotor blades, a redesigned cockpit to reduce pilot workload, improved and redundant electrical systems, an advanced flight control system, and improved avionics. The latest mainstream generation
11537-625: The armed reconnaissance roles. In combat, an attack helicopter is projected to destroy targets worth around 17 times its own production cost before being destroyed. Low-speed, fixed wing Allied aircraft like the Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 training and utility biplane had been used as early as 1942 to provide night harassment attack capability against the Wehrmacht Heer on the Eastern Front , most effectively in
11676-697: The assault missions and too light for transport purposes. While the YHC-1A would be improved and adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps as the CH-46 Sea Knight , the Army sought a heavier transport helicopter, and ordered an enlarged derivative of the V-107 with the Vertol designation Model 114. Initially designated as the YCH-1B , on 21 September 1961, the preproduction rotorcraft performed its maiden flight . In 1962,
11815-409: The attack helicopter corps, allowing them to operate in all weather conditions. Although AH-1Gs served well, they proved vulnerable even in a mid-intensity environment. With that the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) program started, aiming for a more durable, more advanced, longer range, stronger close air support helicopter, capable of destroying armored formations. It would be capable of carrying
11954-411: The best conventional solution was to use attack helicopters. Eight Aérospatiale Gazelle armed with Euromissile HOT were procured for evaluation. By the mid-1980s, the Chinese decided a dedicated attack helicopter was required. At the time, they used civilian helicopters converted for the military; these were no longer adequate in the attack role, and suitable only as scouts. Following this, China evaluated
12093-405: The cargo lifting and dropping. While hovering over a specific location, a twin-rotor helicopter has increased stability over a single rotor when weight is added or removed, for example, when troops drop from or begin climbing up ropes to the aircraft, or when other cargo is dropped. If one engine fails, the other can drive both rotors. The "sizing" of the Chinook was directly related to the growth of
12232-575: The designation of HC-1B. On 21 September 1961, the preproduction Boeing Vertol YCH-1B made its initial hovering flight. During 1962, the HC-1B was redesignated the CH-47A under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system ; it was also named "Chinook" after the Chinook people of the Pacific Northwest. The CH-47 is powered by two turboshaft engines, mounted on each side of
12371-577: The development of its Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstration Program , with Chinook helicopters air-dropping two test vehicles during the RLV-LEX-01 and RLV-LEX-02 conducted on April 2, 2023, and March 22, 2024, respectively. In February 2007, the Royal Netherlands Air Force became the first international customer of the CH-47F model, expanding their Chinook fleet to seventeen. On 10 August 2009, Canada signed
12510-512: The development of the Mil Mi-24 . After several mock-ups were produced, a directive was issued on 6 May 1968 to proceed with development of a twin-engine design of the helicopter. Work proceeded under Mil until his death in 1970. Detailed design work began in August 1968 under the codename Yellow 24. A full-scale mock-up of the design was reviewed and approved in February 1969. Flight tests with
12649-582: The development of the Rooivalk continued until after the conclusion of the South African Border War and defence budgets were slashed due to parliamentary changes to the requirements of the national air force. This resulted in an extensive development and production period beginning in 1990 until 2007, during which 12 aircraft were produced for use by the South African Air Force . These aircraft were subsequently upgraded to
12788-592: The early 1950s, various countries around the world started to make increased use of helicopters in their operations in transport and liaison roles. Later on it was realised that these helicopters, successors to the World War II-era Sikorsky R-4, could be armed with weapons in order to provide them with limited combat capability. Early examples include armed Sikorsky H-34s in service with the US Air Force and armed Mil Mi-4 in service with
12927-483: The early 1960s, Soviet engineers started experimenting with various designs aimed at producing an aerial vehicle that could provide battlefield mobility for infantry and provide fire support to army forces on the ground. The first of these concepts was a mock-up unveiled in 1966 in the experimental shop of the Ministry of Aircraft's factory number 329, where Mikhail Leont'yevich Mil was head designer. The mock-up, which
13066-492: The first AH-1Gs were deployed to Vietnam, around the same time that the Cheyenne successfully completed its first flight and initial flight evaluations. And while the Cheyenne program suffered setbacks over the next few years due to technical problems, the Cobra was establishing itself as an effective aerial weapons platform, despite its performance shortcomings compared to the AH-56 and design issues of its own. The cost estimates of
13205-417: The first helicopter to make use of a fully computerised integrated management system to reduce crew workload. It was decided that much of the helicopter's functionality was to be automated; as such, parts of the flight and armament systems are monitored and directly controlled by onboard computers. The A129 shares considerable design similarities to Agusta's earlier A109 utility helicopter; the rear section of
13344-413: The first with Lycoming T55-L-7C engines delivering 2,850 shp (2,130 kW). The "Super C" had Lycoming T55-L-11 engines delivering 3,750 shp (2,800 kW), an upgraded maximum gross weight of 46,000 lb (21,000 kg), and pitch stability augmentation. The T55-L-11 engines were less reliable, as they had been hurriedly introduced to increase payload; thus, they were temporarily replaced by
13483-488: The flight evaluations, the Test Activity recommended Bell's Huey Cobra to be an interim armed helicopter until the Cheyenne was fielded. On 13 April 1966, the U.S. Army awarded Bell Helicopter Company a production contract for 110 AH-1G Cobras. The Cobra had a tandem cockpit seating arrangement (vs UH-1 side-by-side) to make the aircraft a smaller frontal target, increased armor protection, and greater speed. In 1967,
13622-536: The gunners from firing into the rotor blades. Dust filters were also added to improve engine reliability. Of the nearly 750 Chinook helicopters in the U.S. and South Vietnam fleets, about 200 were lost in combat or wartime operational accidents. The U.S. Army CH-47s supported the 1st Australian Task Force as required. Four CH-47s were converted into ACH-47As by adding armor and improved engines. Its armament included two fixed forward firing M24A1 20 mm cannons , one turret with 40 mm automatic grenade launcher on
13761-508: The helicopter has been exported to nations across the world; the U.S. Army and the Royal Air Force (see Boeing Chinook (UK variants) ) have been its two largest users. The civilian version of the Chinook is the Boeing Vertol 234. It has been used by civil operators not only for passenger and cargo transport, but also for aerial firefighting and to support logging , construction , and oil extraction industries. During late 1956,
13900-524: The helicopter was considerably faster than contemporary 1960s utility helicopters and attack helicopters , and is still one of the fastest helicopters in the US inventory. Improved and more powerful versions of the Chinook have also been developed since its introduction; one of the most substantial variants to be produced was the CH-47D, which first entered service in 1982; improvements from the CH-47C standard included upgraded engines, composite rotor blades,
14039-422: The helicopter's rear pylon and connected to the rotors by drive shafts. Initial models were fitted with Lycoming T55 engines rated at 2,200 hp (1,600 kW) each. The counter-rotating rotors eliminate the need for an antitorque vertical rotor, allowing all power to be used for lift and thrust. The ability to adjust lift in either rotor makes it less sensitive to changes in the center of gravity, important for
14178-484: The landing skid. These designs were proposed by Mil to the Soviet armed forces , and while he had the support of a number of strategists, he was opposed by several more senior members of the armed forces who believed that conventional weapons were a better use of resources. Despite the opposition, Mil managed to persuade the defence minister's first deputy, Marshal Andrey A. Grechko , to convene an expert panel to look into
14317-526: The matter. While the panel's opinions were mixed, supporters of the project eventually held sway and a request for design proposals for a battlefield support helicopter was issued. The development of gunships and attack helicopters by the US Army during the Vietnam War convinced the Soviets of the advantages of armed helicopter ground support doctrine, which had a positive influence on moving forward with
14456-464: The maximum lift by more than 20% in the low lands and 30% in mountain areas. More powerful, improved transmission and strengthened fuselages arrived in 1968 with the CH-47B, followed a few months later by the CH-47C. The CH-47s in Vietnam were generally armed with a single 0.308 in ( 7.62 mm ) M60 machine gun on a pintle mount on either side of the aircraft for self-defense, with stops fitted to keep
14595-518: The military customers the Tiger was being developed for. Both France and Germany reorganised the programme. Thomson-CSF also took over the majority of the Tiger's electronic development work, such as the visual systems and sensors. Despite the early development problems and the political uncertainty between 1984 and 1986, the program was formally relaunched in November 1987; it was at this point that
14734-510: The more reliable Lycoming T55-L-7C. The Super C was distinguishable from the standard "C" by the uprated maximum gross weight. The type was not approved by the FAA for civil aviation due to the nonredundant hydraulic flight boost system drive. The hydraulic system was redesigned for the succeeding CH-47D, allowing it to achieve certification as the Boeing Model 234. A total of 233 CH-47Cs were built. Canada bought eight CH-47Cs; deliveries of
14873-573: The necessity for the entire program. In 1992, Aérospatiale and MBB, among other companies, merged to form the Eurocopter Group; this led to considerable consolidation of the aerospace industry and the Tiger project itself. A major agreement was struck in December 1996 between France and Germany that cemented the Tiger's prospects and committed the development of supporting elements, such as a series of new generation missile designs for use by
15012-618: The new AGM-114 Hellfire and night fighting capabilities. From this program the Hughes YAH-64 came out as the winner. The prototype YAH-64 was first flown on 30 September 1975. The U.S. Army selected the YAH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, and later approved full production in 1982. After purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984, McDonnell Douglas continued and turned it into the AH-64 Apache production and development. The helicopter
15151-597: The new anti-tank helicopter. The Mi-28 development was continued, but given lower priority. In December 1987 Mi-28 production in Rosvertol in Rostov-on-Don was approved. After several prototypes were built, production ceased in 1993 with additional development continuing into the 21st century. Changes in the military situation after the Cold War made specialized anti-tank helicopters less useful. The advantages of
15290-427: The new attack helicopter entered service, the existing helicopters would be used as scouts. The Armed Helicopter Developmental Work Team ( 武装直升机开发工作小组 ) was formed to develop a new medium helicopter design, as opposed to basing the new design on the light helicopters then in service. The 602nd and 608th Research Institutes started development of the 6-ton class China Medium Helicopter (CHM) program in 1994. The program
15429-405: The new combat helicopter. On 18 June 1999, both Germany and France publicly placed orders for an initial batch of 160 Tiger helicopters, 80 for each nation, valued at €3.3 billion. On 22 March 2002, the first production Tiger was rolled out in a large ceremony held at Eurocopter's Donauworth factory; although production models began initial acceptance trials in 2003, the first official delivery to
15568-401: The new helicopter should be much larger, enabling it to airlift large artillery pieces and possess enough internal space to carry the new MGM-31 "Pershing" missile system . During 1957, Vertol commenced work upon a new tandem-rotor helicopter, designated as the Vertol Model 107 or V-107. During June 1958, the U.S. Army awarded a contract to Vertol for the acquisition of a small number of
15707-442: The nose, five .50 in machine guns and two weapon pods on the sides that could carry either XM159B/XM159C 70 mm rocket launchers or 7.62 mm miniguns. They arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and they engaged in six months of operational testing at An Khê Army Airfield . They performed well in combat, but its high maintenance costs and demand for use in troop and cargo transport was stronger. Three ACH-47s were lost. One collided with
15846-441: The principal mover of the 155 mm M198 howitzer , plus 30 rounds of ammunition, and an 11-man crew. The CH-47D has advanced avionics, including Global Positioning System . Nearly all US Army CH-47Ds were converted from previous A, B, and C models, a total of 472 being converted. The last U.S. Army CH-47D built was delivered to the U.S. Army Reserve , located at Fort Hood, Texas , in 2002. The Netherlands acquired all seven of
15985-527: The program and eventually procure the AH-64 Apache instead. Turkey had sought a new attack helicopter since the 1990s to replace their diminished Bell AH-1 Cobra and Bell AH-1 SuperCobra fleets. Following a highly protracted selection process, in September 2007, an order was issued for 51 TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK helicopters, a variant of the A129 International. As a part of the deal with AgustaWestland, Turkish defense firm TAI acquired
16124-510: The rights for future manufacturing of the T129; TAI intends to produce the T129 for export customers. Various components and avionics systems are intended to be replaced with indigenously-produced systems as they are developed. In 1984, the French and West German governments issued a requirement for an advanced multirole battlefield helicopter . A joint venture consisting of Aérospatiale and MBB
16263-404: The rotorcraft, giving it the YHC-1A designation. As ordered, the YHC-1A possessed the capacity to carry a maximum of 20 troops. Three underwent testing by the Army for deriving engineering and operational data. However, the YHC-1A was considered by many figures within the Army users to be too heavy for the assault role, while too light for the more general transport role. Accordingly, a decision
16402-429: The same airframe as earlier models, with more powerful engines. Early CH-47Ds were powered by two T55-L-712 engines. The most common engine is the later T55-GA-714A. With its triple-hook cargo system, the CH-47D can carry heavy payloads internally and up to 26,000 lb (12,000 kg) (such as 40-foot or 12-meter containers) externally. It was introduced into service in 1979. In air assault operations, it often serves as
16541-540: The same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=H47&oldid=1085753754 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Boeing-Vertol H-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook
16680-616: The subsequent Operation Desert Storm in 1990–91. The CH-47D has seen wide use in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. The Chinook is being used in air assault missions, inserting troops into fire bases , and later bringing food, water, and ammunition. It is also the casualty evacuation aircraft of choice in the British Armed Forces . In combat theaters , it
16819-546: The twelve aircraft originally delivered to the SAAF was written off after an accident) Block 1F upgraded Rooivalk. The ninth and tenth Rooivalk attack helicopters were delivered in September 2012 following their upgrade to the Block 1F initial operating standard. The eleventh and final Rooivalk was delivered on 13 March 2013. The Indian Army deploys the Mil Mi-35 (export variant of Mi-24V) and HAL Rudra as of 2014. During
16958-413: The two dozen distribution centers and trucks, proving essential as trucks could not reach the worst hit areas due to downed trees and power lines. They flew everyday for approximately three weeks, moving supplies and personnel around the disaster zone as well as carrying media and government officials, including then Congressman Bill Nelson . Ultimately, the Chinooks supplied 64 distribution sites throughout
17097-476: The type began in 1974. Receiving the Canadian designation "CH-147", these were fitted with a power hoist above the crew door; other changes included a flight engineer station in the rear cabin: operators referred to the configuration as the "Super C". The CH-47C was used widely during the Vietnam War, eventually replacing the older Piasecki H-21 Shawnee in the combat assault support role. The CH-47D shares
17236-558: The type's inception, the Chinook has carried out various secondary missions, including medical evacuation, disaster relief, search and rescue, aircraft recovery, fire fighting, and heavy construction assistance. In February 2020, the Indian Air Force started using Chinooks at theatres such as Ladakh and Siachen Glacier to assist Indian forces deployed at the Indian borders with China and Pakistan . The Indian Space Research Organisation has also enlisted Indian Air Force Chinooks during
17375-512: The war in Europe. This sort of role, being undertaken by low-speed fixed-wing light aircraft was something that was also likely to be achievable after World War II, from the increasing numbers of post-war military helicopter designs. The only American helicopter in use during the war years, the Sikorsky R-4 , was only being used for rescue and were still very much experimental in nature. In
17514-473: The zone and transported 1.2 million pounds of supplies before the urgent relief phase ended. Three of Japan's CH-47s were used to cool Reactors 3 and 4 of the Fukushima Nuclear power plant following the 9.0 earthquake in 2011 ; they were used to collect sea water from the nearby ocean and drop it over the affected areas. In order to protect the crew from the heightened radiation levels present,
17653-529: Was a modified version of HAL Dhruv , free of any major modifications to the airframe to quickly create an armed variant for the Indian Army. The HAL Prachand is a purpose-built attack helicopter, expressly designed to overcome several operational shortcomings of prior attack rotorcraft. By 2010, the Indian Air Force was reportedly set to acquire 65 LCHs while the Indian Army's Aviation Corps
17792-733: Was continually relayed to update target information, assess the threat of Surface to Air missiles (SAM), and the presence of civilians, enabling real time changes to missions. In 2013, the South African National Defence Force announced that it would deploy Denel Rooivalk attack helicopters to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in
17931-449: Was designated V-24, was based on another project, the V-22 utility helicopter , which itself never entered production. The V-24 had an infantry transport compartment that could hold eight troops sitting back to back, and a set of small wings positioned to the top rear of the passenger cabin, capable of holding up to six missiles or rocket pods, along with a twin-barrel GSh-23L cannon fixed to
18070-615: Was introduced to U.S. Army service in April 1986. Today, the US attack helicopter has been further refined, and the AH-64D Apache Longbow demonstrates many of the advanced technologies being considered for deployment on future gunships. The US Marine Corps also continued to employ attack helicopters in the direct fire support role, in the form of the AH-1 Super Cobra . While helicopters were effective tank-killers in
18209-464: Was introduced to the general public in December 2010 and subsequently entered service with the People's Liberation Army . In 1972, the Italian Army began forming a requirement for a light observation and anti-tank helicopter. Agusta had initially studied the development of a combat-orientated derivative of their existing A109 helicopter, however they decided to proceed with the development of
18348-455: Was made to procure a heavier transport helicopter, and at the same time, upgrade the UH-1 "Huey" to serve as the needed tactical troop transport. The YHC-1A would be improved and adopted by the Marines as the CH-46 Sea Knight in 1962. As a result, the Army issued a new order to Vertol for an enlarged derivative of the V-107, known by internal company designation as the Model 114, which it gave
18487-571: Was more successful with minimal losses. In October 2014, U.S. Army AH-64s and Air Force fighters participated in four air strikes on Islamic State units northeast of Fallujah. In June 2016, Apaches were used in support of the Iraqi Army's Mosul offensive and provided support during the Battle of Mosul , sometimes flying night missions supporting Iraqi operations. In 2011, France and Britain sent Eurocopter Tiger and AgustaWestland Apache attack helicopters to Libya. The primary objective of
18626-750: Was one of the first major helicopter disaster relief operations on US soil. Then President George H. W. Bush ordered the military to assist. The Chinooks arrived at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport , just outside of the disaster zone, one day after the President's order; early on, they performed a wide loop over Homestead and Florida City to publicly display their presence, helping to curtail lawlessness and looting. The Chinooks initially flew twelve sorties per day out of Opa Locka, which expanded over time, often supporting distribution operations at Homestead AFB and Opa Locka, as well as delivering relief payloads via internal storage, not using sling loads, supplementing
18765-403: Was promoted as a civilian project, and was able to secure significant Western technical assistance, such as from Eurocopter (rotor installation design consultancy), Pratt & Whitney Canada (PT6C turboshaft engine) and Agusta Westland (transmission). The Chinese concentrated on areas where it could not obtain foreign help. The 602nd Research Institute's called its proposed armed helicopter design
18904-489: Was struck by an Exocet sea-skimming missile fired by an Argentine Super Étendard . The sole surviving British Chinook, Bravo November , did outstanding service in the Falklands, lifting 81 troops on one occasion. Since April 2022, it has been on display at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford . About 163 CH-47Ds of various operators were deployed to Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , and Iraq during Operation Desert Shield and
19043-515: Was subsequently chosen as the preferred supplier. According to statements by the French Defence Minister André Giraud in April 1986, the collaborative effort had become more expensive than an individual national programme and was forecast to take longer to complete as well. In July 1986, a government report into the project alleged that the development had become distanced from the requirements and preferences of
19182-627: Was to also procure 114 LCHs for its own purposes. During February 2020, the LCH was declared ready for production, the final assembly line has been established at HAL's Helicopter Division in Bangalore. Prime minister Narendra Modi conducted the handover ceremony of HAL Prachand to the Indian Armed forces in Jhansi. The Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s saw "the most intensive use of the helicopters" in
19321-572: Was unable to be recovered and was destroyed in place. To compensate for the loss, the ADF added two ex-U.S. Army CH-47Ds to the fleet which are expected to be in service until the introduction of the CH-47Fs in 2016. On 6 August 2011, a Chinook crashed near Kabul, killing all of the 38 aboard. The Chinook was reportedly shot down with a rocket-propelled grenade by the Taliban while attempting to assist
#740259