OH-58 Kiowa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| OH-58 Kiowa | |
|---|---|
| OH-58D Kiowa Warrior | |
| Type | Observation/scout helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter Textron |
| Status | Active service |
| Primary user | United States Army |
| Developed from | Bell 206 |
The OH-58 Kiowa is a family of "scout" observation helicopters manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron. The OH-58's primary missions are reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence gathering.
Contents |
[edit] Development
[edit] Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)
In October 1961, the Army submitted a request for proposals (RFP) for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). Bell, along with 12 other manufacturers (including Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division), entered the competition.<ref>Steve Remington. The Cessna CH-1 Helicopter. CollectAir (commercemarketplace.com).</ref> Bell submitted their design for model 206, which was selected out of the design phase of the Navy-run competition by the Army<ref>George A. Spangenberg. "George A. Spangenberg Oral History".</ref> and designated as the YHO-4A.<ref name="LOH-1">Robert Beechy (18 November 2005). U.S Army Aircraft Acquisition Programs. Uncommon Aircraft 2006.</ref><ref>Rotary Aircraft Designation Crosswalk. GlobalSecurity.org.</ref>
Bell produced 5 prototype aircraft in 1962 to submit to the Army for the Test and Evaluation phase. That same year, all aircraft began to be designated according to the new Joint Services designation system, so the prototype aircraft were redesignated as YOH-4A. During the testing phase, the test pilots complained about the power problems of the aircraft, an issue that apparently knocked it out of the running, because when the winners were announced to progress on to the final selection phase, Bell's YOH-4A wasn't selected.<ref name="1000photos-1">Johan Visschedijk (16 October 2003). Bell 206 JetRanger.</ref>
After the failed military contract bid, Bell attempted to market the model 206, but it didn't fare well at all commercially. Bell's market research showed that it was the body design that customers found mostly unpalatable. When Bell redesigned the body of the airframe to a more sleek and aesthetic design and reintroduced it as model 206A, the JetRanger was born and Bell found they had a commercial success on their hands.<ref>American Helicopter Museum: Bell 206 JetRanger.</ref>
In 1967, the Army reopened the LOH competition for bids because Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division couldn't meet the contractual production demands.[citation needed] Bell resubmitted for the program using their model 206A design.<ref name="LOH-1">LOH Lot 2</ref> Fairchild-Hiller failed to resubmit their bid with the YOH-5A, which they had successfully marketed as the FH1100.<ref>Michael J. Hirschberg and David K. Daley (7 July 2000). US and Russian Helicopter Development In the 20th Century.</ref> In the end, Bell underbid Hughes to win the contract and the model 206A was designated as the OH-58A. Following the U.S.Army's naming convention for helicopters, the OH-58A was named Kiowa in honor of the Native American tribe.[citation needed]
[edit] Army Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP)
In the 1970s, the U.S. Army began evaluating the need to improve the capabilities of their scout aircraft. The OH-58A and OH-58C lacked the power for operations in areas that exposed the aircraft to high altitude and hot temperatures. The power shortcoming caused other issues as the AH-64A replaced the venerable AH-1 in the Attack battalions of the Army. To solve the problem, the Army had been searching for a solution called the Advanced Scout Helicopter (ASH), but when the program proved too expensive, the Army opted for a more affordable solution, the Army Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP). Once again, Bell's design faced off with the Hughes' design. Bell Helicopter Textron offered a more robust version of the OH-58 in their model 406 aircraft, and Hughes Helicopters offered an upgraded version of the OH-6, and in September 1981, Bell Helicopter Textron was awarded a development contract.<ref>COL Robert S. Fairweather Jr. and MAJ Grant Fossum (July/August 1982). "The AHIP: Field Artillery Aerial Observer Platform of the Future" (pdf). Field Artillery Magazine. </ref> The prototype flew in 1983, and the aircraft entered service in 1985 as the OH-58D.[citation needed]
Initially intended to be used in attack, cavalry and artillery roles, the Army only approved a low initial production level and confined the role of the OH-58D to field artillery observation. The Army also directed that a follow-on test be conducted to further evaluate the aircraft due to perceived deficiencies. On 1 April 1986, the Army formed a task force at Fort Rucker, Alabama, to remedy deficiencies in the AHIP.<ref name="cmh-1986">Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1986. U.S. Army Center of Military History.</ref> Apparently, as a result of those deliberations, the Army had planned to discontinue the OH-58D in 1988 and focus on the LHX, but Congress approved $138 million for expanding the program, calling for the AHIP to operate with the Apache as a hunter/killer team; the AHIP would locate the targets, and the Apache would destroy them in a throwback to the traditional OH-58/AH-1 relationship.<ref name="cmh-1988">Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1988. U.S. Army Center of Military History.</ref> However, based on experience with Task Force 118's performance operating armed OH-58D helicopters in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Prime Chance, the Secretary of the Army directed that the aircraft's armament systems be upgraded and that the aircraft be used primarily for scouting and armed reconnaissance.<ref name="cmh-1989">Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1989. U.S. Army Center of Military History.</ref>
[edit] RAID
In 1989, Congress mandated that the Army National Guard would be a player in the country's War on Drugs enabling them to aid federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with "special congressional entitlements". In response, the Army National Guard Bureau created the Reconnaissance and Aerial Interdiction Detachments (RAID) in 1992, consisting of aviation units in 31 states with 76 specially modified OH-58A helicopters to assume the reconnaissance/interdiction role in the fight against illegal drugs. During 1994 twenty-four states conducted more than 1,200 aerial counterdrug reconnaissance and interdiction missions, conducting many of these missions at night. Eventually, the program was expanded to cover 32 states and consists of 116 aircraft including dedicated training aircraft at the Western Army Aviation Training Site (WAATS) in Marana, Arizona.<ref name="raid-rw">Doug Nelms (1 November 2002). Homeland Defense:Fighting Homeland Wars. Rotor & Wing (www.aviationtoday.com).</ref>
The RAID program’s mission has now been expanded to include the war against terrorism and supporting U.S. Border Patrol activities in support of homeland defense. The National Guard RAID units' Area of Operation (AO) is the only one in the Department of Defense that is wholly contained within the borders of the United States.<ref name="raid-rw" />
[edit] Variants
[edit] OH-58A
The OH-58A Kiowa is a 4-place observation helicopter. The Kiowa has two-place pilot seating, although the controls in the left seat are designed to be removed to carry a passenger up front. Its primary mission is to locate the enemy and report the location and/or conduct calls for fire from artillery units nearby to destroy, disrupt or disable the enemy. During its Vietnam development, it was fitted with an M134 Minigun 7.62 mm electrically operated machine gun. In 1978, OH-58A aircraft began to be converted to the same engine and dynamic components as the OH-58C.<ref name="cmh-1978">Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1978. U.S. Army Center of Military History.</ref>
74 OH-58A helicopters were delivered to the Canadian Armed Forces as COH-58A and redesignated as CH-136 Kiowa helicopters.<ref>Bell CH-136 Kiowa. Air Force Public Affairs, Department of National Defence (15 APR 2004).</ref> The Australian Army produced the OH-58A under contract in Australia as the CA-32. It was essentially the 206B-1 equivalent OH-58A (upgraded engine and longer rotor blades). The first twelve were built in the U.S. then torn down and shipped to Australia where they were reassembled.<ref name="aussie1">History of Bell OH58-A Kiowa Helicopter. 161 Possums. 161 Recce Association.</ref>
In 1992, 76 OH-58A were modified with an engine upgrade, a thermal imaging system, a communications package for law enforcement, enhanced navigational equipment and high skid gear as part of the Army National Guard's (ARNG) Counter-Drug RAID program. The program called for these "OH-58A+" aircraft to be located in 31 states and the Western Army Aviation Training Site (WAATS). By the end of the summer of 1994, 24 states had their detachments operational.<ref>Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1994.</ref> The program has currently been expanded to 32 states and a total of 116 aircraft.<ref name="raid-rw" />
[edit] OH-58B
The OH-58B Kiowa was an export version for the Austrian Air Force.<ref>OH-58B Kiowa. GlobalSecurity.org.</ref>
[edit] OH-58C
Equipped with a more robust engine, the OH-58C was supposed to solve many issues and concerns regarding the Kiowa's power. In addition to the upgraded engine, the OH-58C had unique IR suppression systems mounted on its turbine exhaust. Early "C" models featured flat-panel windscreens as an attempt to reduce glint from the sun, which could give away the aircraft's location to an enemy. The windscreens had a negative effect of limiting the forward view of the crew, a previous strength of the original design.
The aircraft were also equipped with an oversized instrument panel. The panel, roughly a third bigger than the OH-58A panel held oversized instruments; primarily for teaching students instrument flying fundamentals.[verification needed] The panel is also equipped with Night Vision Goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit lighting. The lights inside the aircraft are modified to prevent them from interfering with the aircrews' use of NVGs.<ref name="58C cockpit">Bell OH-58C Kiowa. Flight Research, Inc..</ref> OH-58C aircraft were also the first U.S. Army scout helicopter to be equipped with the AN/APR-39 radar detector, a system which allowed the crew to know when there were anti-aircraft radar systems in proximity to the aircraft.<ref name="cmh-1977">Department of the Army Historical Summary, 1977. U.S. Army Center of Military History.</ref>
Some OH-58C aircraft were armed with two AIM-92 Stingers. These aircraft are sometimes referred to as OH-58C/S, the "S" referring to the Stinger installation.<ref name="amcom-storm">Team Redstone's Role in Operation DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM. Redstone Arsenal.</ref> Called Air-To-Air Stinger (ATAS), the weapon system was intended to provide an air defense capability for the Kiowas as they pulled security on the flanks, while the Apaches destroyed tanks in the Engagement Area (EA).[verification needed]
[edit] OH-58D
The OH-58D (Bell Model 406) was the result of the Army Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP). It was a serious re-thinking of what was needed to be an effective scout aircraft. An upgraded transmission and engine gave it the power it needed, and a four-bladed main rotor made it much quieter than the two-bladed OH-58C. In addition, the OH-58D included the most distinctive feature of the family – a Mast-Mounted Sight (MMS) above the rotor system with a gyro-stabilized platform containing a TeleVision System (TVS), a Thermal Imaging System (TIS), and a Laser Range Finder/Designator (LRF/D). These new features gave the aircraft the additional mission capability of target acquisition and laser designation in both day or night, and in limited-visibility and adverse weather.
15 copies of a modified version of the OH-58D (sometimes referred to as the MH-58D<ref name="1000photos-1" /><ref>MH-58D Combat Scout.</ref>) was sold to Saudi Arabia<ref name="saudi1">Royal Saudi Air Arms. Scramble. Dutch Air Society.</ref> as the Bell 406CS "Combat Scout". The MMS was removed and replaced with a Saab HeliTOW sight system[1] mounted on the roof of the aircraft, just above the left pilot seat.[2] It also had detachable weapon hardpoints on each side.
[edit] Kiowa Warrior
The Kiowa Warrior is the armed version of the OH-58D Kiowa. The main difference that distinguishes the Kiowa Warrior from the original AHIP aircraft is a universal weapons pylon found mounted on both sides of the aircraft. These pylons are capable of carrying combinations of Hellfire missiles, Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS) missiles, 7-shot 2.75" (70mm) rocket pods, and an M296 .50 caliber machine gun. The Kiowa Warrior upgrade also includes improvements in available power, navigation, communication and survivability, as well as modifications to improve the aircraft's deployability.<ref>OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. FAS.org.</ref>
[edit] Users
- Australia<ref name="aussie1" />
- 161 Recce Squadron
- 162 Recce Squadron
- Austria
- Fliegerregiment 1 [3]
- Canada (1971-1995)
- 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School [4]
- 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron [5]
- 401 Tactical and Training Helicopter Squadron (disbanded 23 June 1996) [6]
- 403 (Helicopter) Operational Training Squadron [7]
- 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron [8]
- 411 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (disbanded 23 June 1996) [9]
- 422 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (disbanded 16 August 1980) [10]
- 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (430e Escadron Tactique d'Hélicoptères) [11]
- 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron [12]
- Dominican Republic<ref>Inigo Guevara (01 Sep 2003). Dominican Republic since 1945. Air Combat Information Group (acig.org).</ref>
- Saudi Arabia<ref name="saudi1" />
- 1st Aviation Battalion
- Taiwan (Republic of China)<ref>Republic of China Army Aviation. TaiwanAirPower.org.</ref>
- 601st Air Cavalry Brigade
- 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade
- United States (current)
- OH-58A/C
- Eagle Flight Detachment, Fort Irwin
- Eagle Flight Detachment, Fort Polk
- OH-58D
- 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
- 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment
- 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment
- 1st Battalion (Attack), 10th Aviation Regiment (reflagging to 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment)
- 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment
- OH-58A/C
[edit] Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.[edit] OH-58A Kiowa
General characteristics<h3>
- Crew: 1 pilot, 2 pilots, or 1 pilot and 1 observer
- Length: 32 ft 2 in (9.81 m)
- Rotor diameter: 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m)
- Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
- Empty weight: 1,553 lb (704 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 2313 lb (1049 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Allison 250-C18 turboshaft, 317 shp (236 kW)
- Fuel capacity: 70 gal (264.9 liters)
<h3>Performance<h3>
- Maximum speed: 120 knots (222.2 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 102 knots (188.9 km/h)
<h3>Armament<h3>
- M134 7.62 mm "Mini-gun"
or
- M129 40 mm Grenade Launcher
[edit] OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
General characteristics<h3>
- Crew: 2 pilots
- Length: 40 ft 8 in (12.39 m)
- Rotor diameter: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
- Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
- Empty weight: 3,290 lb (1,490 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,500 lb (2,495 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Allison 250-C30R/1 or R/3 turboshaft, 650 eshp (485 kW)
- Fuel capacity: 110 US gal (454 L)
<h3>Performance<h3>
- Maximum speed: 138 mph (222 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 120 mph (195 km/h)
- Range: 345 mi (556 km)
- Service ceiling: 20,500 ft (6,250 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,615 ft/min (8.2 m/s)
<h3>Armament<h3>
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior can carry two weapons systems at one time (one on each pylon), among four different weapon systems:
- AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles in 2-count launchers
- Hydra 70 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets in 7-shot pods
- XM296 .50cal (12.7 mm) machine gun, 500 rounds (ammo can capacity) mounted only on the left side
- AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles in 2-count launchers
[edit] Popular culture (OH-58D Kiowa Warrior)
The OH-58D is prominently featured in the movie Fire Birds as the sidekick to the movie's star, the AH-64A. Flown by Sean Young's character, CWO Guthrie, this example of the early, unarmed OH-58D accomplishes its mission of finding the enemy for the Apache as the movie approaches its climax.
The armed OH-58D is one of the three flyable aircraft cockpits in the 1997 PC computer game, Longbow II. The game gave you the possibility of flying in the pilot's right seat or flying in the co-pilot/gunner's (CPG) left seat. Just like the aircraft, you can only operate the mast-mounted sight from the left seat.
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] External links
- Eye in the Sky; Kiowa and Sioux helicopters - link verified January 31, 2006
- M134
