Armed Helicopter Market
Target Markets for
Armed Whirly Birds
Saddam Hussein had tanks, but today’s bad guys are mostly VNSAs (violent non-state
actors) with four-wheel drives and ‘technicals’ - improvised fighting vehicles. Either way,
today’s good guys need armed helicopters for today’s asymmetric conflicts.
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This Royal Air Force of Oman NHIndustries
NH90 TTH (one of 20) is armed with two
Nexter N621 gunpods, each housing
a 20 mm 20M621 revolver cannon and up
to 250 rounds of ammunition.
(Eurocopter/Anthony Pecci)
The Boeing AH-64 series has dominated attack helicopter sales. Here a licence-built
AgustaWestland Apache AH1 of the British Army is seen on patrol over Helmand Province
in Afghanistan. (AgustaWestland)
lightweight helicopter with limited weapons
to deal with targets of opportunity.
A recent report by the Teal Group (World
Rotorcraft Review) estimates that in the
2013-2022 period the production of
military helicopters of all categories will
total approximately 5818 units. They will be
worth around $ 132.8 billion in 2013 terms
and represent an increase in value of more
than 40 per cent over comparable purchases
in the preceding ten years.
Roy Braybrook
D
edicated attack helicopters combine
heavy forward-firing armament
with minimum frontal area, to
achieve high speed and the lowest
possible vulnerability to return fire. Some
situations are better resolved by a multi-role
assault helicopter with a squad of troops, plus
forward-firing armament to suppress fire
from the landing zone and side-firing guns
for self-defence. Scouting missions call for a
Despite cutbacks, the largest single
contributor to the global spend on military
helicopter procurement remains the
Pentagon. This element peaked in FY11 at
over $ 10.0 billion, but is expected to have
halved by FY18 (in then-year dollars),
spending on military helicopters falling
faster than the US defence budget.
One reason for this rapid fall in military
helicopter procurement spending is that
from 2025 the US Army and Afsoc (Air
Force Special Operations Command) plan
to begin switching to a completely new
generation of around 4,000 high-speed,
modern technology rotorcraft.
The first stage is the Future Vertical Lift Medium programme, which (with different
airframes) is to begin replacing the Sikorsky
UH-60 Black Hawk utility series and the
Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
from 2027/2028.
I APACHE
The 6838 kg Boeing AH-64A Apache was
designed to counter the threat of a massive
Warsaw Pact armoured strike across central
Europe. It entered US Army service 1984,
with a main armament of 16 laser-homing
Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfires. It was
superseded by the day/night all-weather
Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow, which
entered service in 1998. Primary mission
weight is 7530 kg, but the AH-64D can be
flown at up to 10,433 kg.
Between 1984 and 1997 some 937 AH64As were delivered to the US Army and five
export customers, all of which went on to buy
the AH-64D Apache Longbow with
provisions for the Northrop Grumman APG78 Longbow radar and Lockheed Martin
AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire RF missile.
The AH-64D is in service with the US
Army and the armies of Egypt, Greece, Israel,
Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates
and Britain. Over 2000 AH-64A/Ds have
been delivered, and production will continue
until at least 2026. The US Army currently
has 570 Apaches, the National Guard 192,
and the Army Reserve 48. It is planned to
assign all these Apaches to the US Army,
while replacing National Guard and Reserve
aircraft with Black Hawks.
The latest version is the AH-64E Apache
III or Guardian (formerly AH-64D Block
III), deliveries of which began in May 2012.
Its improvements include T700-GE-701D
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Armed Helicopter Market
Based on the MD530F, Boeing has developed
the AH-6S, aimed at the US Army’s anticipated
Armed Aerial Scout programme, and the export
AH-6i, shown here. The AH-6i is reportedly in
production for Saudi Arabia. (Boeing)
engines, composite rotor blades, and the
ability to control drones. Some 634 US
Army AH-64Ds are to be upgraded to -64E
standard, and manufacture of 56 new-build
AH-64Es for the service is to start in
2019/2020.
Figures from the FY13 budget request
indicate that a new-build AH-64E costs
around $ 37 million, and remanufacturing
an AH-64D to -64E standard approximately
$ 17 million.
The first export customer for the AH64E was Taiwan. The Republic of China
Army, which currently operates 6690-kg
Bell AH-1Ws, plans to place the first of 30
AH-64Es (which cost $ 2.01 billion) in
service in April 2014.
In October 2010 Saudi Arabia requested
ten AH-64Es for the Royal Guard in a deal
that was estimated to cost $ 2.223 billion,
including 28 engines, seven APG-78 radars,
640 AGM-114R laser-homing Hellfires and
2000 70 mm laser-guided rockets (LGRs).
At the same time 24 AH-64Es were
requested for the Royal Saudi Land Forces
for an estimated $ 3.3 billion, including 58
engines, ten APG-78s, 1,536 AGM-114Rs
and 4,000 LGRs.
In the following month the United Arab
Emirates requested 30 AH-64D Block IIs
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remanufactured to AH-64E standard and 30
new-build AH-64Es in a deal valued at $ 5.0
billion. This included 70 APG-78s, but only
120 engines and no missiles.
Recent international sales include 22
AH-64Es for the Indian Air Force, at a cost of
around $ 1.4 billion. This included 50
engines, twelve APG-78s, 1,354 Hellfires
(812 AGM-114L-3s and 542 AGM-114R-3s)
and 245 Stingers.
South Korea is buying 36 AH-64Es in a
deal estimated by America’s Defense Security
Cooperation Agency to be worth $ 3.6 billion,
including 84 engines, 36 APG-78s, 400 AGM114R1s, 438 Stingers and 11,020 Hydra
70 mm rockets. Indonesia plans to buy eight
AH-64Es in a $ 500 million deal.
Qatar and Iraq have each requested 24
AH-64Es. In the former case the $ 3.0 billion
deal included 56 engines, twelve APG-78s,
The classic armed scout helicopter is the Bell OH-5D
Kiowa Warrior, of which the US Army has over 350. This
example was taking off from Forward Operating Base
MacKenzie in Iraq. (US Department of Defense)
© 2014 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
PROTECT AND DEFEND
With every mission, the Bell AH-1Z and UH-1Y earn the reputation of being
the most capable attack and utility helicopters flying today. Individually or
combined, these helicopters accomplish a wide array of missions, effectively
and efficiently, anywhere in the world. The Bell AH-1Z and UH-1Y – among
the most combat-effective and survivable aircraft on the modern battlefield.
BELLHELICOPTER.COM
Armed Helicopter Market
576 AGM-114Rs (later increased to 1276),
295 FIM-92H Stingers and 4092 Hydra 70
mm rocket projectiles.
India’s buy could be the first of a series that
make that nation the principal Apache export
customer. Following signature of the Indian
Air Force contract in May 2013, the Indian
Army made its own request for eleven AH64Es. The service also announced plans to
have an aviation brigade (including one
attack helicopter squadron) with each of its
13 corps. This could lead to the Indian
Army’s procurement of up to 156 AH-64Es
plus attrition replacements.
This Russian Air Force Mil Mi-28N ‘Night Hunter’
development aircraft has the mast-mounted N025 radar,
which is not due to enter service until 2016 with the
upgraded Mi-28NM. (Russian Helicopters)
“India’s buy could be the
first of a series that make
that nation the principal
Apache export customer”
The Teal Group forecasts production of
237 new-build AH-64Es in the period
2013-2022, alongside the remanufacture of
430 AH-64Ds. At the end of that period,
production is expected to be running
at 26 new-build and 50 remanufactured
units per month.
For nations that require an armed scout,
Boeing offers the 1610-kg AH-6i, based on
the MD530F. The launch order was expected
to be 18 for Jordan (which already operates
armed MD530Fs), but in October 2010 Saudi
Arabia requested 36 AH-6is as part of a $ 25.6
million deal that included 36 AH-64Es (as
mentioned earlier), 72 UH-60Ms and twelve
MD530Fs. At Dubai in November 2013
Boeing confirmed reports that it had received
a US Army FMS contract for the AH-6i, and
this was generally assumed to be for Saudi.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia have
all shown interest in the programme.
I COBRA ZULU
The US alternative offered to South Korea
was the less expensive 8390-kg Bell AH-1Z
Viper (or Cobra Zulu), which was
developed to satisfy a Marine Corps need
for an attack helicopter offering maximum
commonality with the substantially
upgraded UH-1Y Venom.
The US Marine Corps plans to acquire a
total of 189 AH-1Zs, made up of 152 newbuild aircraft and 37 remanufactured from
AH-1Ws. The Teal Group estimates the
production of 162 AH-1Zs in 2013-2022,
implying few export orders. Figures from
the FY13 budget request for the H-1
Upgrade Program indicate a unit cost of $
29.3 million, but this is averaged over a mix
of new-build and remanufactured AH-1Zs
and UH-1Ys.
The DSCA press release on the 36 AH1Z deal offered to South Korea gave a total
cost of $ 2.6 billion, including 84 T700-GE401C engines, 288 AGM-114K3 laserhoming Hellfires, and 72 Raytheon AIM9M-8 Sidewinder air-air missiles.
The AH-1Z, although equipped with the
Lockheed Martin AAQ-30 Hawkeye
day/night Target Sighting System (TSS),
lacks the all-weather APG-78 radar of the
AH-64D/E. Both aircraft have a maximum
cruise speed of 265 km/hr.
I RUSSIAN RIVALS
This Bell AH-1Z Viper (or Cobra Zulu) serial 168002 is based aboard the USS Makin Island,
LHD-8. The YQ-43 marking indicates that it is attached to Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron HMM-268 ’Red Dragons’. (US Navy)
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Russia’s closest Apache equivalent is the
10,900-kg Mil Mi-28N ‘Night Hunter’,
which has a flyaway unit cost of around $ 24
million. Cruise speed is 270 km/hr and its
chin-mounted turret houses a 30-mm
Shipunov 2A42.
Despite its lower cost, the Mi-28N lost to
the AH-64 in India, perhaps because its
radar was at an earlier stage of development,
and its main armament consists of eight
radar beam-riding 9M120 Ataka-V (AT-9)
missiles, with a range of 5.8 km.
One of around 2,300 built, this Mil Mi-24, based at Yuma
Marine Corps Air Station, Arizona, is used by Marine Aviation
and Weapons Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) as an
aggressor training aircraft. (US Marine Corps)
Orders for the Mi-28N for Russian Air
Force Army Aviation (VVS-AA) currently
stand at 167 units. Over 60 have been
delivered, without the N025 mast-mounted
radar. The Mi-28N formally entered service
in December 2013, and currently equips a
training unit and four (of the ten planned)
operational units. Each unit is also to have
around five Mi-28UB trainers, which retain
the full operational capability of the Mi-28N.
The N025 radar is being introduced in
2016 with the Mi-28NM, to which standard
Mi-28Ns will be modified. The Mi-28NM
will have the current Klimov 1636-kW
TV3-117VMA engines replaced by 1789kW VK-2500s (which already equip the
export Mi-28NE), helmet-mounted sights,
and the GOES-451M EO/IR turret (as on
the Kamov Ka-52). Reference to the LSN296 laser installation suggests that the Mi28NM will use the KBM 9A4172 Vikhr
(Whirlwind, AT-16) missile.
The first export contract for 42 Mi28NEs (along with six Mi-26T2s) was finally
signed by Algeria in early 2014, according
to news agency Arms-Tass. The second
contract, due to be signed by the end of
2013, is for 30 Mi-28NEs for Iraq. Nearterm prospects exist in Venezuela (ten
aircraft), Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
I HIND AND HIP
The Mi-28N is being outsold in the
export market by the 10,900-kg Mi-35M
with VK-2500 engines and a fixed 23 mm
twin-barrel GSh-23 cannon. The Mi-35M
is slightly slower (260 km/hr), but
operationally more flexible, with space for
eight troops or casualties. It is also cheaper,
at $ 20 million. It can carry eight KBM
9M114 Shturm (AT-6) or 9M120 Ataka-V
(AT-9) radar-guided missiles.
“Since around 2,300
Mi-24s were built for
over 30 nations, mostly
in the 1980s, there
is a substantial market
for upgrades”
Production of the Mi-35M was launched
with a Venezuelan order for ten, followed by
one for twelve for Brazil (which may buy four
more ‘AH-2 Sabres’). At that point (May
2010) the Russian MoD ordered 26, followed
by 27 in April 2012. Azerbaijan ordered 24
for its Border Protection Service in
September 2010, and is expected to buy 24
more. In November 2013 Iraq received four
Mi-35Ms, allegedly the first of a batch of 40.
Since around 2,300 Mi-24s were built for
over 30 nations, mostly in the 1980s, there
is a substantial market for upgrades. Russia is
believed to have modified 24 to Mi-24PN
standard with improved night-fighting
capability. The Ukraine has over 70 Mi-24s.
Some have been upgraded by Aviakon to
Mi-24PU1 standard, and others (in cooperation with Sagem) to Mi-24PU2s.
Sagem also offers an Mi-24/35 upgrade in
co-operation with Mil and Rostvertol.
Elbit Systems has fitted some Mi-24s
with defensive aids suites, for Georgia
(seven aircraft), Macedonia (six) and Sri
Lanka (seven). IAI/Tamam has applied its
‘Mission 24’ system to 25 Indian Mi-24s,
which now have day/night capability, and
can use both the 9K114 Shturm (AT-6) and
the Rafael Spike-ER .
One of the leading upgrades is the ‘Super
Hind’ developed by South Africa’s ATE
(now Paramount Advanced Technologies),
primarily for Algeria, which had 40
modernised. In its Mk III version, this
includes replacing the turreted 12.7-mm YakB with a 20 mm F2, and introducing Denel
Dynamics Ingwe missiles. In co-operation
with Aviakon, ATE modified four Azerbaijan
aircraft to Mi-24G standard with laser
beam-riding SKDB Luch Bar’er-V missiles.
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Armed Helicopter Market
Pictured at Kandahar Airfield, this Mil Mi-17
of the Afghan Air Force is armed with UB-32 pods,
each housing 32 57-mm S-5 rocket projectiles.
(US Department of Defense)
It may also be noted that the 11,000-kg
Mi-8AMTSh can carry the GSh-23 gunpod,
B8V20 rocket pods and the Shturm-V and
Igla-V guided missiles of the Mi-24, in
addition to 36 troops. In August 2013 the
Russian MoD announced a $ 380 million
order for 40 Mi-8AMTSh, bringing the
current total to about 180 (in addition to 150
Mi-8MTVs). The export version is the Mi171Sh, which is built at Ulan-Ude, and has
been purchased by Bangladesh, the Czech
Republic, Croatia, Ghana and Peru.
Operators of the Mi-17V-5 variant include
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and India.
I LATER, ALLIGATOR!
Probably the most advanced Russian attack
helicopter, the 10,800-kg Kamov Ka-52
Alligator is unique in having side-by-side
seating, jettisonable rotor blades and
ejection seats. Powered by TV3-117VMA
engines, it is slightly slower (at 250 km/hr)
than its tandem-seat rivals. Its contrarotating rotors are claimed to make it a
superior platform for unguided projectiles,
since it flies without sideslip.
The nose mounting for its Phazotron
Arbalet (Crossbow) radar is made possible by
its 30-mm 2A42 cannon being mounted well
aft on the starboard side. Main armament is
twelve laser beam-riding 9K121 Vikhr-1 or
radar-guided 9K120 Ataka-M missiles.
The Ka-52 is expected to be upgraded
with VK-2500 engines and KBP Hermes-A
missiles, which have inertial guidance and
terminal laser-homing, to suit its remarkable
range of 18 km.
The VVS plans to use the Ka-52
alongside Mi-28Ns and Mi-35Ms in
seven composite squadrons. The initial
production batch of twelve, ordered in 2009,
was followed by a contract for 36. A multiyear order for 140 was reportedly signed in
September 2011, but this cannot be
confirmed. In February 2013 the Russian
Defence Minister stated that his department
plans to acquire 985 new helicopters by
2020, but gave no breakdown.
The Ka-52K Katran (Dogfish) is a
navalised version for the Russian Navy’s
Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, of
which two were ordered in 2011 with options
on two more. Each ship, the head of class
being the Vladivostok, is to carry a combined
total of 16 Ka-52Ks and Ka-29s. In October
2013 the Russian Deputy Defence Minister
stated at Progress Arsenyev that, subject to
the satisfactory completion of trials, 32
shipborne helicopters (presumably Ka-52Ks)
would be ordered. The first export customer
was expected to be Libya, but recent events
have (at least) deferred such a sale.
Russian Army Aviation plans a “fifthgeneration attack helicopter” in 2021-25,
but no details are available.
I TIGER
The 6600-kg Eurocopter EC665 Tiger was
launched in 1999 as a Franco-German
programme, with each country to take 80
units. Following recent economies, Germany
has reduced its order from 80 to 57 anti-tank
Tiger UHTs, while trading in eleven already
delivered. France has received 40 Tiger
HAPs at a unit cost of $ 36 million, and is to
receive 40 HADs costing $ 48 million each,
although the final 20 will reportedly be
deferred beyond 2019.
Exports have so far been limited to 24
Tiger HADs for Spain and 22 Tiger ARHs
for Australia. These aircraft have uprated
Shown is the first Spanish-built Eurocopter Tiger HAD-E
(Helicoptero de Apuyo y Destruccion – España).
The Tiger entered service with Spain’s Fuerza Aeromoviles
del Ejercito de Tierra in late 2013. (Eurocopter)
This Russian Air Force Army Aviation Kamov
Ka-52 Alligator is illustrated in minelaying
configuration, with a KGMU dispenser.
The Ka-52 can carry four KGMUs in
combination with four Igla air-air missiles.
(Russian Helicopters)
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MTR390 engines, and are cleared to use
Hellfire missiles. The Spanish HAD is also
cleared for the Rafael Spike-ER. There are
further prospects in Brazil, Malaysia and
Qatar. The Teal Group report forecasts 88
Tigers deliveries in the 2013-2022 period,
with the last in 2020.
Hoping to repeat the success of the
Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota, of which the US
Army has already received over 250, this
armed AAS-72+, based on the EC145T2, has
been proposed as a replacement for
the OH-58D. (EADS North America)
As the needs of the front-line nations for
heavy attack helicopters are fulfilled, it is
arguable that international sales will switch
to what might be regarded as armed scouts.
I T129
The 4600-kg AgustaWestland A129 (lately
AW129) is less than half the weight of the
AH-64D, Mi-28N and Ka-52, yet retains a
considerable punch, with eight Hellfires.
The Italian Army purchased 60 A129As,
most of which have now been upgraded to
AH-129C (previously A129CBT) standard
with five-blade main rotors. A further
upgrade will take them to AH-129D
standard, with Rafael Toplite sighting
system and Spike-ER missiles.
Turkey’s T129 Atak is a joint development
of the AW129 by Turkish Aerospace
Industries (TAI) and AgustaWestland, using
LHTEC CTS800 engines. It was planned that
only the first (of six) prototypes would be
built in Italy, but in 2010 nine T129s
(presumably ex-Italian Army A129As) were
purchased from AgustaWestland in a Euros
150 million deal to meet an urgent Turkish
Army requirement for delivery in 2012. This
adds to the TAI order for 45 production
aircraft, which carries an option for a further
40. Production deliveries were to begin
before the end of 2013.
The first 30 T129s are being built to
TUC-1 ‘combat support’ standard, Turkish
Army designation T129A, armed only with a
GD-ATP 20 mm M197 Gatling and 76
guided/unguided 70 mm rocket projectiles.
Subsequent aircraft (which will presumably
form the basis for export sales) will be
completed to TUC-2/T129B ‘mulitrole’
standard with Alesan helmet-mounted
display, eight Roketsan Umtas anti-tank
guided missiles, twelve Cirit (Javelin)
laser-homing 70 mm rockets, two Stingers
and the M197.
Armed Helicopter Market
The armed version of the Hindustan
Aeronautics Dhruv (Polaris) is named Rudra
(God of the Tempest). This example is armed
with two twelve-round 68-mm rocket pods and
four MBDA Mistral air-air missiles. (HAL)
AgustaWestland and TAI are promoting
the T129 internationally. Pakistan is an
obvious potential customer, and Libya has
shown interest. Other possibilities include
Jordan, Malaysia and the Philippines. Italy
may buy T129s from AgustaWestland in the
long term. The Teal reports estimates
production of only 78 units in the 20132022 period, the last in 2019, suggesting that
Washington will prevent T129 exports by
restricting engine availability.
I REST OF WORLD
China’s export sales of armed helicopters
appear to be limited to the 4100-kg Harbin
Z9WE (licence-built Eurocopter Dauphin),
as used by Kenya, and the 2250-kg Changhe
CZ11W (Eurocopter Fennec copy), to be
licence-built in Argentina. The Z19 is a
slimmer Z9 with tandem seating, while the
7000-kg Changhe Z10 is China’s first
helicopter with a chin turret. It also has an
X-type tail rotor and diamond-section
fuselage. Exports may have to wait for a
Chinese copy of the P&WC PT6C.
Other Asian countries will compete in the
armed helicopter market. India’s 5500-kg
Hindustan Aerospace (HAL) Light Combat
Helicopter (LCH) is derived from the Dhruv
(Polaris) utility helicopter, which entered
service in 2002. The LCH has a Nexter
THL20 chin turret with a 20-mm 20M621
cannon, and four underwing hardpoints.
These can carry the DRDO Nag (Cobra)
mm-wave radar guided missile, the LCH
then being designated Helina (HELIcopter
NAg). Plans call for 65 LCHs for the Indian
Air Force and 114 for the Indian Army.
Turkey’s T129 is a joint development
of the AgustaWestland AW129 by
that company and Turkish Aerospace
Industries (TAI). Following six
development aircraft, 54 production
T129s have been ordered for the
Turkish Army. (TAI)
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There is pressure in Japan for relaxation of
the law forbidding arms exports. This
could lead to international sales of the
Kawasaki OH-1, of which only 34 have been
ordered for JGSDF use. (KHI)
The same armament installation is being
applied to the Dhruv, producing the Rudra
(God of the Tempest). The Indian Air Force
has ordered 16, and the Army has ordered
20 (of 60 planned).
The 4500-kg (class) Korea Aerospace
Industries (KAI) Light Armed Helicopter
(LAH) (formerly Korean Attack Helicopter) is
also to provide the basis for a six/eight-seat
Light Civil Helicopter (LCH). A foreign
partner is to be chosen in 2014, and IOC for
the LAH is scheduled for 2022. The Republic
of Korea Army is to receive up to 260 KAHs
from 2018, complementing 36 AH-64Es.
Japan’s 4,000-kg Kawasaki Aerospace
OH-1 employs the traditional attack
helicopter layout, but (like the KAH) has
no chin turret. Despite earlier plans for
150-200 OH-1s, only 34 have been ordered
for the JGSDF.