Attack Helicopter History

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The helicopter has changed the face of the battlefield in every operation it has been deployed. The attack helicopter has allowed the United States Army to achieve air superiority and has been a deciding factor in every battle the Army has fought. From its humble beginning with modification of already established airframes, the attack helicopter has continued to evolve. With the acquisition and construction of dedicated attack airframes, air superiority and battlefield awareness have increased exponentially as well as the Army’s reliance on these attack airframes. The future of Army Aviation lies in technology, as technology develops so too does the capabilities of the Army’s helicopters. The attack helicopter has undergone a dramatic …show more content…
“This little helicopter served extensively through the Korean War (1950-1953) while seeing some used in the early phases of the Vietnam War (1950-1975) as well” (Bell H-13, 2013). The Korean War showed the potential of helicopters in conflicts and Army leaders called for the use of helicopters in tactical missions. Shortly after the Korean War, the Army began testing helicopters in a combat role by placing machine-guns and rocket pods on the Bell 47 OH-13, Sikorsky S-51 H-19, and Piasecki H-21. In 1964 Bell, Sikorsky, and Lockheed each presented the Army with a helicopter model to fill the 350-unit demand of the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System competition. The Army selected the Lockheed model and re-designated it AH-56 Cheyenne. Bell Helicopters continued with a private, company sponsored project, designated the Bell Cobra AH-1G. The Cobra project was much further along than the advanced AH-56 Cheyenne project and the Cobra flew its first Vietnam combat mission in 1967. In 1972, The Army cancelled the request for the AH-56 Cheyenne and continued with the Cobra. Armed helicopters were essential to ground forces that operated outside of the range of conventional artillery and had proven …show more content…
The Apache helicopter would see combat for the first time in 1989 during Operation Just Cause in Panama. “Although the Apache exhibited some mechanical problems during Just Cause, it performed well as an advanced attack aircraft” (Army aviation history, 2008). By 1991 and the start of Desert Storm, the AH-64A mechanical problems were addressed and the Apache removed any doubt about its effectiveness in battle by destroying over 240 enemy vehicles. Shortly before Desert Storm in 1990, the Army Special Forces began the upgrade of the MH-60L to the Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) model. By the turn of the century the next generation of Apache, the AH-64D Longbow, with improved power plant and sighting systems took to the skies. The start of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) would see the Apache spearhead entry into Bagdad, Iraq providing overwhelming firepower and direct support of ground forces “the resilience and flexibility of the Apache was central to the success of this campaign” (Bernstein 2005). In support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), the Army called upon the Apache again, providing direct air support to ground forces, armed escort, and a general deterrent to enemy forces. The MH-60L DAP has also played its role in OIF and OEF operating in countless classified missions serving as armed escort and direct air support. With the threat of ISIS, the AH-64D has carried
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