- 3 months ago
For educational purposes
The remarkable versatility of the helicopter is revolutionizing modern warfare.
Action footage of all the most recent Western land-based types includes 'tank killing' sequences which show why the supremacy of the battle tank is now under threat.
The West's Combat Helicopters features the following (in running order):
- Bell UH-1 Huey'
- Agusta A109
- McDonnell Douglas Defender
- Aerospatiale SA342 Gazelle
- MBB BO105P (PAH-1)
- Westland Lynx & Lynx 3
- Aerospatiale SA365M Panther
- Agusta A129 Mangusta
- Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk
- Sikorsky H-76 Eagle
- Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra
- McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache
- LHX
and has a detailed script by leading aviation authority Christopher Chant.
The remarkable versatility of the helicopter is revolutionizing modern warfare.
Action footage of all the most recent Western land-based types includes 'tank killing' sequences which show why the supremacy of the battle tank is now under threat.
The West's Combat Helicopters features the following (in running order):
- Bell UH-1 Huey'
- Agusta A109
- McDonnell Douglas Defender
- Aerospatiale SA342 Gazelle
- MBB BO105P (PAH-1)
- Westland Lynx & Lynx 3
- Aerospatiale SA365M Panther
- Agusta A129 Mangusta
- Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk
- Sikorsky H-76 Eagle
- Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra
- McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache
- LHX
and has a detailed script by leading aviation authority Christopher Chant.
Category
đ
LearningTranscript
00:00The
00:25modern combat helicopter is less than 25 years old,
00:28yet it has come to dominate tactics on the modern combined arms battlefield.
00:33Here we examine the West's most significant armed helicopters,
00:37beginning with the elderly but still useful Bell UH-1,
00:40Huey, the Augusta A-109,
00:43and McDonnell Douglas Defender,
00:45the Aerospatial Gazelle,
00:47MBB BO-105P,
00:50Westland Lynx, Aerospatial Panther,
00:53and Augusta A-129 Mangusta.
00:55We then turn to the U.S. again to assess the McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache battlefield tank killer,
01:03and finally the experimental developments being undertaken by Sikorsky
01:07towards the LHX next generation battlefield helicopter.
01:11The Bell UH-1 is universally known as the Huey,
01:19and was developed just before the Vietnam War
01:22as a utility helicopter with a single medium-powered turboshaft.
01:27The low-powered initial models were used for tactical troop transport and casualty evacuation.
01:32But weapons were soon added to these and later enlarged and operated production models.
01:38The type still serves in large numbers.
01:40The Huey operated with great effect over jungle, grasslands, marshes, and paddy fields.
01:53Whether fitted with an armament of rockets and machine guns,
02:01or flying unarmed in the trooping role,
02:03the Huey became one of the distinctive sights and sounds of the Vietnam War.
02:07The conflict that turned the helicopter from a light utility aircraft
02:12into a decisive weapon of the land battlefield.
02:25The 2.75-inch rocket packs on the fuselage sides
02:29proved to have devastating firepower in support of the ground forces
02:33delivered by unarmed Hueys.
02:42The fixed and flexible 7.62-millimeter machine guns carried by the Hueys
03:05made these comparatively light helicopters
03:08a great tactical asset to the men on the ground in Vietnam,
03:11who had often to rely on the close support of armed Hueys
03:15when more heavily weaponed aircraft could not be deployed
03:18in time to meet an immediate threat.
03:25The Augusta A-109A is an impressive Italian helicopter
03:30conceived in the 1970s as a multi-role civil and military type,
03:35and its dedicated military version is the A-109K
03:39with fixed rather than retractable landing gear
03:42and a number of other improvements.
03:52As befits a type originally developed for civil and military applications,
03:56the A-109K is used most frequently for the communication and liaison roles,
04:01but the manufacturer has also developed a wide assortment of add-on armament
04:06and sensor options to turn the A-109 into a truly versatile type
04:11in the dedicated military role.
04:18Outrigger arms on the fuselage sides can carry many different weapon types,
04:23though commonest are gun pods and rocket launchers of various types.
04:37The effective use of these weapons is greatly aided by the A-109's steadiness
04:42as a weapons platform,
04:43though this steadiness at low level
04:45does not significantly impair the helicopter's considerable agility.
04:49The gun pods most commonly used by the A-109
04:54are the FN Aetna HMP, or area types,
04:58each with a single 0.5-inch heavy machine gun,
05:01though the Aetna TMP 5 pod
05:04with two 7.62-millimeter machine guns
05:07can also be carried.
05:08By 301-inch heavy machine gun,
05:11you heardal the 155 cm cv cÃŗ khans
05:14andå,
05:14it's a place behind in pairs,
05:15right?
05:15That's what you said,
05:16uhp.
05:17Here's what A-109 years ago...
05:18Well,
05:18it was a very active
05:19one hem
05:20called techniques,
05:21It's against
05:31axial
05:33commanders from here
05:34are extremely supportive
05:35and unknowns
05:36Lore
05:36These offer the possibility of considerable fire support for ground forces over a prolonged firing run,
05:57where additional firepower can be provided by a 0.5-inch machine gun located in the port door.
06:03More devastating still are 51, 68, and 81-millimeter rockets,
06:15of which the A-109 can carry a substantial number in multiple launcher pods for area fire suppression.
06:21The A-109 can also carry missiles guided with the aid of a roof-mounted sight,
06:34and its exterior weapons can be replenished as the helicopter is refueled, ensuring the minimum time out of combat.
06:40Wasp-like in performance, agility, and firepower, the McDonnell Douglas 530 MG Defender has been developed from the well-established Hughes 500 MD series of light military helicopters.
07:00The Defender can carry a wide assortment of armament on its two outriggers, typical being pairs of Stinger air-to-air missiles,
07:14seven-tube launchers for 2.75-inch rockets, pods for 1.5-inch machine gun, pods for two 7.62-millimeter machine guns,
07:27and twin launchers for the devastating tow anti-tank missile.
07:31Night and adverse weather capability can be ensured by the installation of a forward-looking infrared sensor in a chin turret so that the crew of two have a thermal image of the terrain and any targets below and ahead of the helicopter.
07:47Another advanced feature is the mast-mounted sight located in the optimum position above the main rotor so that the helicopter can hover behind cover with just the sight unit protruding.
07:59This is a position of maximum tactical concealment, yet allows the weapon operator full visibility through the trainable sight unit.
08:08Ground speed is irrelevant to the weapon delivery capability of the Defender,
08:12which can fire its whole range of ordnance at any speed from maximum down to the hover without significant loss of impact or accuracy.
08:20Using its mast-mounted sight, the Defender is an exceptionally capable anti-tank helicopter as it can fire and guide its tow missiles while it remains concealed from possible countermeasures.
08:33The tow missile is a heavy-weight, long-range weapon, able to destroy most tanks at ranges up to 4,000 yards.
08:42The Defender, in its many variants, is an impressive and capable little machine,
08:47matching the offensive power of many larger, more expensive, and yet more vulnerable helicopters.
08:52Somewhat larger than the Defender, but still a light helicopter, is the Aerospatial Gazelle.
09:01This was designed in the mid-1960s as a multi-role type and is used by a large number of forces for communication and liaison.
09:09But despite its reputation for vulnerability to modern anti-helicopter weapons,
09:16the Gazelle has also been developed as the SA-342M dedicated anti-tank helicopter for the French Army.
09:23The Gazelle has speed and agility, both of these factors being essential for successful, low-level operation
09:42over today's mechanized and computerized battlefield.
09:45The APX-397 stabilized sight unit in the cockpit roof ensures lethal accuracy out to a range of some 4,400 yards.
10:03The heart of the SA-342M's weapon system is the primary armament of six hot, heavyweight anti-tank missiles
10:11delivered accurately to the battlefield by the combination of autopilot, self-contained navigation system, and Doppler navigation.
10:21The Gazelle can carry a fixed 20-millimeter cannon, machine gun pods, rocket launchers,
10:28and could also be used in the anti-helicopter role with short-range air-to-air missiles,
10:33such as the British Javelin or French Mistral.
10:36The B-0105 light helicopter was designed in the 1960s mainly for the civil market.
10:45But its advanced semi-rigid rotor system and twin-engine power plant provide excellent climb and agility,
10:52so it was not surprising that the type was also adopted for military service despite its high unit cost.
10:58West Germany's dedicated anti-tank version is the PAH-1,
11:12carrying the same basic armament of six hot anti-tank missiles as the Gazelle.
11:18It is also operated in conjunction with the APX-397 auto-stabilized sight in the cockpit roof.
11:24The West German army deploys its anti-tank helicopter forces semi-permanently in their anticipated operating locations
11:34so that crews can come to know the relevant tactical features.
11:38This means that the PAH-1s can operate in West Germany's extensive woodlands with great freedom of action.
11:46These are the probable routes for a Soviet offensive against the Western alliance.
11:50The PAH-1 crews are trained to operate in small clearings and woodland gaps
12:11and can thus prepare ambush positions from which to launch long-range attacks with the heavyweight hot missile.
12:20The PAH-1s can use their curvy-webs on the S-co-5-6-5-7-8-6-7-6-8-6-7-8-6-7-8-6-8-7-6-8-6-8-8-6-8-7-7-9-7-8-6-8-8-7-8-7-8-8-6-7-8-7-8-7-7-8-7-6-8-7-8-7-8-7-6-8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7-6-8-8-7-7-8-8-7-9-8-7-8-7-8.
12:44During the last phase of this approach, the helicopters hedge-hop forward in radio contact
12:55with the troops they are supporting.
12:57The commander checks the position of friendly forces and halts to try and get a visual sighting
13:02on the enemy.
13:03The force takes up position.
13:05Each crew is responsible for selecting its own position and target.
13:11With just the main rotor and sight raised above cover, the weapon operator can acquire the
13:16target in his stabilized optical sight and engage it before disappearing again as the
13:21target is hit.
13:41The force takes up position.
13:47The between-the front of the enemy and the enemy, the force takes up position.
13:53The octopus guards in the air in the air.
14:02Let's go.
14:32The helicopter then moves on to another position to tackle another tank.
15:02Gun pods and various types of rocket launcher can also be carried, but the specialty of the PAH-1 is dedicated tank killing with the aid of pre-designated forward operating locations where fuel can be replenished and fresh missiles loaded for another mission.
15:19The Westland links is undoubtedly the best helicopter.
15:49It's not a helicopter yet developed in the UK and is a trim machine of very high performance and agility.
15:57The basic links has two turbo shafts driving a semi-rigid main rotor and has been produced in naval and military forms.
16:05The British Army's links carries eight tow heavyweight missiles in two quadruple launchers.
16:11But another type cleared for use is the wire-guided HOT.
16:27Like the PAH-1, the links uses its precise handling and low-level agility for ready concealment and map of the Earth flight in the anti-tank role, especially on the central European battlefield through which the Warsaw PAK forces might try to drive in the event of war with the NATO alliance.
16:51...
17:01...
17:13The Lynx can carry an extremely varied load of ordnance as an alternative to the standard
17:37fit of anti-tank missiles.
17:40For the support of troops on the ground, the Lynx can carry door or pod-mounted machine
17:44guns in .5-inch and 7.62-millimeter calibers, or packs of 81-millimeter rockets.
18:04Other installations cater for varying numbers of 68 or 81-millimeter rockets.
18:22Future developments may add short-range air-to-air missiles for self-protection, or even the escort
18:46of other helicopters over the battlefield.
18:51All important for the tank-killing role, the roof site is stabilized to provide the weapon
18:56operator with a steady image of the target throughout the somewhat protracted flight of
19:01the subsonic wire-guided missile.
19:09The standard site for the tow installation is the Hughes M65, and this already capable
19:15site is being upgraded with full-night capability.
19:21The external location of the missile tubes permits rapid replacement after a mission, either
19:27with the eight reloads carried in the cabin or from a ground source.
19:34command from a carrier to a tower immediately.
19:41Majority!
19:44Majority!
19:47Majority!
19:49Majority!
19:50Majority!
19:54Majority!
19:58Majority!
20:01Majority!
20:02Another tank-killing possibility for the Lynx
20:32is the transport of a team with the Milan ground-launched anti-tank missile
20:36complete with reloads and local protection infantrymen.
21:02The seven-man team can be landed in a tactically advantageous
21:32position and then be resupplied or evacuated by the Lynx as the situation develops.
22:02The Lynx can also be used for the lifting of special dispensers as a slung load so that
22:11anti-tank and anti-personnel minefields can be laid quickly.
22:29Other items of equipment that can be carried include light cross-country vehicles so that
22:33missile teams have greater mobility once landed.
22:36The latest development in the Lynx series is the Lynx 3 which is larger, heavier and usefully
22:46more powerful than the current series.
22:53The type can carry more payload than in-service models but is designed primarily as a tank-killer
23:00with a main armament of 8 or 16 Hellfire missiles.
23:07These are laser homing weapons that once fired steer themselves onto any vehicle illuminated
23:12by a friendly ground or air-launched laser designator.
23:14The Lynx 3 which is the Lynx 3.
23:15The Lynx 3.
23:16The Lynx 3.
23:17The Lynx 4.
23:18The Lynx 4.
23:19The Lynx 4.
23:20The Lynx 4.
23:21The Lynx 4.
23:22The Lynx 4.
23:23The Lynx 4.
23:24The Lynx 4.
23:25The Lynx 4.
23:26The Lynx 4.
23:27The Lynx 4.
23:28The Lynx 4.
23:29The Lynx 4.
23:30The Lynx 4.
23:31The Lynx 4.
23:32The Lynx 4.
23:33The Lynx 4.
23:34The Lynx 4.
23:35The Lynx 4.
23:36The Lynx 4.
23:37Thus, the launch helicopter does not have to remain increasingly vulnerable in the vicinity
23:49of the target so that the weapon operator can control the wire-guided missile he has
23:53just launched.
24:23If the Lynx-3 enters service, it could be fitted with a number of advanced sensors as well
24:45as capable defensive items such as chaff and flare launchers, plus an infrared suppression
24:50system.
24:56A comparative newcomer to the combat helicopter market is the Aerospatiale SA-365M Panther,
25:04which was introduced in 1986 as the land warfare version of the SA-365 Dauphin multi-role helicopter.
25:12The Panther retains the twin-engine power plant of the Dauphin II variant and, for a battlefield
25:22helicopter, is unusual in having retractable landing gear.
25:26The Panther has a number of advanced operational features, but just as important is the latest
25:33technology in main rotor construction using advanced and largely automated manufacturing processes.
25:39of the Nomex honeycomb.
25:52Each blade is built up on the basis of two carbon fiber spars with a carbon fiber skin over a
25:58sandwich filling of Nomex honeycomb.
26:19The blade is protected and strengthened by a leading edge of solid glass fiber fitted with
26:25an anti-erosion sheath of stainless steel.
26:48The structural and dynamic testing proves the quality of the blades, which are then fitted
26:54into an advanced Starflex rotor hub.
26:57The result is a rotor system of considerable accuracy and great resistance to accidental or
27:03combat damage.
27:13.
27:17.
27:21.
27:25.
27:26.
27:27.
27:28.
27:29.
27:30.
27:31.
27:32.
27:47In the air, the Panther is fast and agile, and the type can carry the typical assortment
27:52of weapon types fielded by modern combat helicopters.
27:57These range from fuselage-mounted cannon pods, via machine gun pods and rocket launchers,
28:02to anti-tank weapons, such as eight hot and tow missiles, used with roof mounted sights, such
28:08as the APX 397 series, and perhaps in the future, self-defense or escort missiles, such
28:14as the Matra Mistral, air-to-air type.
28:15.
28:16.
28:17.
28:18.
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28:56.
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30:52.
30:53though it is much smaller and lighter than comparable American and Soviet tank hunters,
30:57tank hunters, the Mangusta follows the American design lead in using a slim fuselage with
31:03the weapon operator below and forward of the pilot so that he has the best possible fields
31:08of vision. The Mangusta's other primary design features are armament on four hard points
31:15under the stub wings and a twin-engine power plant driving an advanced rotor system designed
31:23to resist anti-aircraft fire of up to 23 millimeter caliber.
31:34The fuselage was designed with easy maintenance in mind and redundancy combines with protection
31:39to reduce the A-129's vulnerability to ground fire.
31:43Current Mangustas have their sensor systems in the nose and these comprise a pilot's night vision
31:52system and a weapon operator's tow site with additional thermal imager.
31:56Such a location may make aerodynamic sense but is tactically senseless as use of the sensors means
32:03that virtually the whole helicopter has to be raised above cover. It is likely therefore that
32:09the sensors will be relocated to a mast-mounted site already tested on prototype helicopters.
32:15The primary anti-tank missile used by the A-129 is the tow long-range missile. The Mangusta can carry eight of these powerful weapons, though other
32:26possibilities are eight hot wire-guided or six hellfire laser homing missiles, all carried on the outer hard points.
32:33The inner hard points generally carry cannon or machine gun pods and rocket launchers, though short-range air-to-air missiles are a possibility in years to come.
32:43viele Chromas muchÃs our ŅŅŅŅ- ŲŲا co-aliens.
32:46Please going together hikes.
32:47Everyů
32:48They put resources into the packing, 5000 pixels andJaume stars from your old card.
32:50AÃ singoâĻ
32:51steady beam âĻ
32:52SpiresâĻ
32:53YeahWaitâĻ
32:54âĻ
32:56mÃŗvianâĻ
32:57swellingâĻ
32:59AlanâĻ
33:00this is a possibility
33:02utlich
40:45Typical weapons are the M56 mine dispenser,
40:48launcher pods of various types for 2.75 inch rockets,
40:53machine gun or cannon pods,
40:55and launchers for anti-tank missiles
40:57such as the wire-guided tow
40:59or laser-homing hellfire types.
41:10The four M56 dispensers are a particularly important
41:13tactical load and allow the Black Hawk
41:16to lay a 250,000 square foot minefield
41:19in a single operation.
41:21Despite this apparent maturity,
41:23the Black Hawk is still a young design
41:26and thus full of growth potential,
41:28largely in terms of maximum takeoff weight.
41:31Such growth would allow the carriage of greater loads
41:34through the adoption of more powerful engines,
41:37with the Anglo-French RTM321 turboshaft
41:40as a possible replacement for the T-700.
41:45The type is already under development in other versions,
41:48including the SH-60 Seahawk naval model,
41:51and there is clearly a useful future ahead
41:53for this capable Sikorsky helicopter.
41:56The Sikorsky S-76 was designed largely
42:10for the civil market,
42:11but such has been the success of this design
42:14in terms of performance and range
42:16with a substantial payload
42:17that the company has funded the development
42:19of the H-76 Eagle military derivative.
42:22The type uses some of the technology
42:25from the UH-60 Black Hawk
42:27and can readily be developed
42:29for a number of applications.
42:32As a utility transport,
42:33the Eagle can carry 11 troops
42:35or be used for casualty evacuation.
42:38In the tactical close-support role,
42:52it can operate with typical weapon loads
42:54of gun pods and or rocket launchers.
42:58In the tank-killing role,
43:00it can be armed with Hellfire or tow missiles,
43:03the latter requiring the installation
43:05of a roof or mast-mounted Hughes M-65 tow site.
43:10And the type can also be configured
43:11for naval warfare with anti-ship missiles
43:14or anti-submarine torpedoes
43:16plus appropriate sensors.
43:24Great emphasis has been placed on survivability.
43:27The structure and occupants are therefore protected
43:30by special armor and structural features.
43:32systems redundancy is built into the helicopter.
43:36And items such as crash-worthy fuel tanks
43:38feature highly in Sikorsky's promotion
43:40of this attractive and most capable machine.
43:49A considerable attraction for potential buyers
43:52is the Eagle's great versatility.
43:55The combination of roles such as casualty evacuation
43:58and tank-killing within a single airframe
44:00offering great cost-effectiveness
44:03to countries unable to afford
44:05several role-dedicated helicopter types.
44:07Keep deepened by American-killing...
44:12A serious attack-worthy weapon
44:13and a secure equipment for potential
44:13to ship hereediates
44:16of those different people
44:17in the U.S.
44:17that's all.
44:18Here we are.
44:19One, two, three, one, two, one, two, one,
44:20two, one, two, one, one.
44:20From the end of the day to the next
44:21one, two, one, two, one, three, one, two, one.
44:22Another tool for potential
44:35is in a heavy game.
44:36Early experience in Vietnam persuaded the US Army that the UH-1 needed an escort, and
44:44here Bell stepped in with the company-funded Model 209 gunship development of the Huey.
44:57The new helicopter retained the dynamic system of the successful UH-1B and C models, but
45:03married these to an exceptionally slim fuselage that seated just two crew members in tandem
45:08with the weapon operator below and forward of the pilot for the best possible fields of
45:13vision.
45:20The Huey Cobra was rushed into production and service, and the helicopters were delivered
45:25to Vietnam on small transports for local assembly and rapid delivery to operational units.
45:43This AH-1G Huey Cobra also pioneered a new concept of armament with a turret under the chin controlled
45:50by the weapon operator and four hardpoints under the stub wings for gun pods and rocket
45:55launchers controlled by either crew member.
46:02The Huey Cobra was designed to escort troop-carrying UH-1s and then to use its superior speed for
46:09a quick dash to the landing zone.
46:11Here the ground defenses could be softened up with a mixture of 7.62 millimeter minigun
46:17and 2.75 inch rocket fire just before the troop carriers arrived.
46:29The Huey Cobra proved itself more survivable than the basic troop carrier for its combination of
46:46performance and small size offered the communist forces a minimal target. The AH-1 was thus one of
46:53the major U.S. successes of the Vietnam War, and the type has remained in service since that time,
46:59successive marks adding new features and increasing performance.
47:03The Huey Cobra's role was fully defined in Vietnam, and once the troop carriers had left the scene,
47:09the Huey Cobras remained on station to provide friendly forces with all the close support they needed.
47:15The support could be called in as required by the ground force commander and delivered both quickly and with great accuracy.
47:35the vessel's power weapon.
47:50By using established technology, the Huey Cobra is a simply maintained helicopter.
48:09This factor is augmented by a number of easy access features so that field maintenance is a simple process.
48:16Greater engine power has also been provided over the years, allowing the Huey Cobra to carry larger loads of an increasing assortment of weapon types without degradation of performance.
48:28The basic airframe has also been developed into a powerful twin-engine multi-role gunship for the Marine Corps.
48:35And as the current AH-1S Huey Cobra close support and anti-tank helicopter for the Army.
48:46The Army
49:16Over the years, the armament fit has been greatly improved.
49:33The underwing hardpoints can carry items such as the M35 kit with a six-barrel 20-millimeter
49:39cannon plus a thousand rounds of ammunition.
49:49This provides greater standoff attack range, as does the use of a new chin turret with a
49:55three-barrel 20-millimeter cannon or even a 30-millimeter cannon in place of the original
50:00type fitted with a 7.62-millimeter minigun and a 40-millimeter grenade launcher.
50:19In the area attack role, the Huey Cobra's most important weapon is the 2.75-inch rocket, and
50:25a full complement of these devastating high-velocity weapons has the same effect as a .38-gun
50:31howitzer barrage.
50:35Complementing the Huey Cobra is the Army's latest attack helicopter, the AH-64A Apache.
50:42This was developed by Hughes, now a part of the McDonnell Douglas Company.
50:47The Apache is an angular but effective machine optimized for the battlefield tank killing
50:52role.
50:53The type possesses the power for high performance over the battlefield with a very impressive
50:58war load of missiles and other weapons.
51:02The type also possesses powerful and effective flight controls and an extremely advanced suite
51:07of sensors for all-weather low-level operation over the modern battlefield.
51:14Here, too, the Apache is aided by a state-of-the-art fire control system for use with the fearsome
51:22primary armament.
51:27The Apache's most important weapon type is the Hellfire Missile, of which 16 can be carried.
51:34This is a long-range, fire-and-forget weapon that homes automatically onto a target designated
51:40by a friendly laser.
51:43Apart from its range of more than 6,500 yards, the Hellfire is notable for its large warhead,
51:49which is thought capable of defeating the armor of all current tanks.
52:03The Apache also has a powerful 30-millimeter chaingun on a flexible mounting under the fuselage.
52:09This has 1,200 rounds of ammunition, sufficient for about two minutes of sustained fire, and
52:15provides the Apache with an effective standoff capability against less well-armored battlefield
52:21targets such as armored personnel carriers.
52:32The Apache attack is also possible with 2.75-inch rockets, of which some 76 can be carried in
52:38place of the quadruple Hellfire installations.
52:47The Apache is notable for its complex avionics and sensor system, including the integrated
52:52helmet and display sight system.
52:55This is a helmet sight used by both crew members for the rapid acquisition of targets off the
53:00flight path.
53:02Targets are designated to the fire control system through the slaving of weapons and sensors
53:07to the head movement of the pilot or weapon operator.
53:11In the nose is the sensor group associated with the weapon operator's target acquisition and
53:16designation system.
53:18These sensors comprise direct-view optics, a TV camera, a laser spot tracker, and a laser
53:25ranger designator.
53:27Information is fed to a cockpit display or onto the monocle of the helmet sight, allowing the
53:33weapon operator to acquire and track either manually or automatically any selected target.
53:41On the upper portion of this trainable sensor group is the forward-looking infrared unit
53:46for the pilot's night vision system.
53:48TAD's information allows full night and adverse weather flight capability and can be switched
53:54to the pilot in the event of PNVS failure, and the weapon operator has access to the PNVS
54:00if required.
54:03These sensors are aided by an advanced navigation and flight control system using a simple inertial
54:09navigation platform, a Doppler navigation system, and an auto stabilization system.
54:15The Apache is also a highly survivable helicopter, notable for an exceptionally strong structure
54:22with considerable armor protection and redundancy to withstand hits from ground fire of up to
54:2823 millimeter caliber.
54:31Further protection is given by the Apache's radar warning receiver, chaff and flare dispenser,
54:37and infrared jammer.
54:39These combine with the Apache's nap of the earth flight profile to afford a considerable degree
54:44of protection from ground-based defenses.
54:47All are features of considerable importance to the Apache, which is an expensive machine designed
54:52to operate decisively in a high threat environment.
54:59Physical features that also contribute to the type's survivability are the wide spacing of
55:04the twin turboshaft power plant, a ballistically tolerant structure for the airframe and rotor
55:09system, self-sealing and crash-worthy fuel system, and a number of other advanced features such
55:15as a run-dry dynamic system.
55:34All these factors were fully evaluated and proved during the Apache's protracted development, and
55:47the result is a capable helicopter which is nonetheless fairly simple to maintain in the field.
55:53Major items are readily accessible by means of low height or in-built platforms.
55:58Considerable internal fuel capacity can be supplemented by external tanks under the hard points, and
56:15the Apache can thus ferry itself over considerable distances such as the route across the Atlantic
56:20to Europe.
56:23The Apache was also designed with air transport in mind, and can be broken down for movement
56:28in aircraft varying in size from the C-130 Hercules tactical transport to the C-5 Galaxy
56:35strategic freighter.
56:38The future of tactical helicopters is currently at a fascinating stage, and the USA in particular
56:44is pushing ahead with the development of several key ideas for the proposed LHX combat helicopter.
56:51One of two such aircraft currently flying in the research program is the Sikorsky S-75.
56:59Among the features being pioneered is all-composite construction for greater strength combined
57:04with lighter weight, easier as well as cheaper manufacture and maintenance, and the possibility
57:09of reduced radar signature.
57:12Computer-aided design is allowing LHX research to progress with speed and accuracy.
57:19A key feature of this is to design the helicopter and its systems as an integrated whole, rather
57:25than, as at present, developing individual features and then trying to fit them together.
57:30An expensive and potentially wasteful method.
57:35This effort holds up the promise of a single crew helicopter with all the capabilities of
57:39current two seat types, and the possibility of far greater capability with the introduction
57:44of new sensors, millimeter wavelength radar, and other advanced features in a high visibility
57:50cockpit.
57:59Such a cockpit is being pioneered by Sikorsky in its Shadow Research helicopter.
58:04This Sikorsky helicopter advanced demonstrator of operator workload is an S-76 with a prototype
58:12single seat cockpit grafted onto its nose, with sensors feeding data to the pilot via a helmet-mounted
58:19display, a head-up display, and head-down displays.
58:25Such then are the West's most important armed helicopters, which are threatening the dominance
58:30of the tank on the modern battlefield.
58:33They vary from the elderly to the latest, and from the comparatively cheap to the exceptionally
58:38costly.
58:39These latter have very versatile weapons and sensors, and are paving the way for a new generation
58:44of helicopters with great capabilities in several armed roles.
59:14most often, the likelihood of devastating machine-specific challenges in a new generation of aircraft
59:18service, such as a Patrol or electric member, which will ĐŋĐĩŅĐĩŅ
ОдиŅ the airtime with a shortage
59:19of other teams of military ports, but be sure they are also in their own ventilator.
59:20So, this is the aim to do this.
59:21The captain of the two with the metal radiation that someone who lives on the computer in a
59:22Latino shore, is the other hand-style and the boat poles on the shore.
59:24So, now the crew wlater will be able to take care of a few laps, of course,åĻ, as far into the
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