Boeing AH-6

Boeing AH-6
Boeing AH-6 at the Singapore Air Show 2010
Type:	Light reconnaissance and attack helicopter
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
First flight:	September 8, 2004
Commissioning:	In flight testing

The Boeing AH-6 is a series of light reconnaissance and attack helicopters . It was developed by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems based on the MH-6 Little Bird and the MD-500 series.

variants

ULB

The first model of the AH-6 series was the ULB prototype ( U nmanned L ittle B ird), wherein it is a UAV acted -Technologiedemonstrator. For this, under the AMUST-D program (was A irborne M suntanned / U nmanned S ystem T echnology D emonstration) a civil MD-530F machine Boeing rebuilt. The aim of the program, privately financed by Boeing, was to improve the coordination of manned and unmanned systems. The ULB completed its maiden flight on September 8, 2004. The actual test program began in April 2006 when the ULB was remote-controlled by an AH-64 . In a total of 450 flight hours, the Apache's weapons system officer controlled the ULB via an L3 data link. The ULB completed large parts of the test missions autonomously, the interventions by the WSO were primarily limited to target acquisition and the use of Hellfire missiles .

A / MH-6X MELB

When the US Army after the Iraq war 2003, the development of the RAH-66 gave, Boeing offered the model MH-6M MELB ( M ission E nhanced L ittle B ill) as a substitute for the OH-58D on. The US Army rejected the model and decided in 2005 for the ARH-70 from Bell. Since Boeing believed that the model could still be marketed, the MELB concept was further developed on the basis of the ULB and in 2007 the A / HM-6X was presented. In the broadest sense, it is a hybrid model that can be used both manned and unmanned. Compared to the ULB prototype, the payload was increased and a glass cockpit was provided for manned flights. In addition, some upgrades in electronics and avionics were carried out.

AH-6S

After development of the ARH-70 was discontinued, Boeing presented the AH-6S model as an alternative to the successor to the OH-58D in 2009 . Compared to the A / MH-6X, the fuselage has been extended by 38 cm to provide space for the rescue of pilots in the combat area. This enables the AH-6S to carry out SAR missions to a small extent . Furthermore, the nose of the fuselage has been redesigned for aerodynamic reasons and creates space for additional avionics equipment . Various components of the cockpit and main rotor were taken over from the AH-64D Block III in order to reduce production and development costs. To improve the survivability of the machine, the tail rotor was reinforced and the more powerful Rolls-Royce 250-CE30 shaft turbine was used as a drive . It is not yet known whether the US Army will purchase this model.

AH-6I

The AH-6I is a planned export version of the AH-6S. Flight testing began on September 16, 2009 in Mesa. The helicopter has a six-blade main rotor and is driven by a Rolls-Royce 250-C30R / 3M shaft turbine with an output of 595 kW. The cockpit is equipped with an electronic flight instrument system and a L-3 Wescam MX-15 sensor container is available, which contains television cameras in visible and infrared light, as well as a laser range finder. Jordan expressed interest in this model in May 2010.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Specifications of the A / MH-6X
crew	1 to 2 (plus up to 5 additional people)
length	9.94 m
Rotor diameter	8.33 m
Rotor area	54.6 m²
height	2.48 m
Empty mass	722 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	1,610 kg
Top speed	282 km / h
Marching speed	approx. 250 km / h
Service ceiling	5,700 m
Max. Rate of climb	10.5 m / s
Range	430 km
Engine	an Allison 250 C30 shaft turbine with 650 shp (485 kW)

Armament

Payload of up to 424 kg on two external load frames

• 1 × three- barreled 12.7 mm Gatling machine gun General Dynamics GECAL 50 (GAU-19 / A) with 1000 rounds of ammunition
• 2 × GAU-2A / B weapon system (also GAU-17A in the US Navy consisting of 1 × 7.62 mm Gatling machine gun General Electric M134 with 4000 rounds of ammunition)

Air-to-air guided missile

• 2 × ATAS (Air To Air Stinger) double guided missile launchers for 2 × Raytheon AIM-92 "Stinger" RMP Block I each - infrared controlled for short distances

Unguided air-to-surface missiles

• 2 × LAU-68D / A rocket tube launch containers for 7 × unguided FFAR air-to-ground hydra rockets each ; Caliber 70 mm
• 2 × LAU-131 / A rocket tube launch containers for 7 × unguided FFAR air-to-ground hydra rockets each; Caliber 70 mm
• 2 × TBA Telson 8-rocket tube launch container for 8 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground hydra rockets each ; Caliber 68 mm

Air-to-surface guided missiles ( anti-tank guided missiles )

• 2 × M299 guided missile suspensions for 2 × Boeing Corp / Martin Marietta AGM-114F / N "Hellfire" - laser-controlled
• 2 × TBA Telson 8-rocket tube launch container for 8 × ACULEUS 68 LG each - laser-controlled

External container

• 1 × PMGS-MK container with one 30 mm M230LF automatic cannon each with 660 rounds of ammunition

Web links

Commons : AH-6 Little Bird  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Boeing Announces New Rotorcraft Program: AH-6 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ FlugRevue, December 2009, p. 20, Boeing AH-6i begins flight tests