Attack helicopter

An attack helicopter is an armed helicopter made to attack enemies from the sky. It is built to hit targets on the ground, like enemy soldiers, vehicles, and strong points. Because it carries many weapons, it is sometimes called a helicopter gunship.

Attack helicopters can carry many types of weapons, including autocannons, machine guns, rockets, and anti-tank missiles like the AGM-114 Hellfire. Some can also carry missiles to protect themselves from other helicopters or small airplanes.

Modern attack helicopters have two main jobs. First, they help soldiers who are fighting on the ground. Second, they destroy groups of enemy tanks and armored vehicles. They are also used to protect helicopters that carry troops or to watch for enemies during battles. In fights, an attack helicopter can destroy targets worth much more than its own cost before it might be lost.

Development

Background

In the early 1940s, some small airplanes attacked enemy forces at night, especially during World War II. These planes were slow and not very powerful, but they could carry weapons. After the war, militaries used helicopters more for moving troops and supplies. By the 1950s and 1960s, these helicopters were equipped with weapons too.

Over time, countries developed special attack helicopters that were faster, better armored, and carried more powerful weapons. These helicopters became important tools in modern warfare.

United States

In the 1950s, tests showed that small weapons could be fired from helicopters. Later, the U.S. Army wanted a better attack helicopter. This led to the development of the AH-1 Cobra in the 1960s, which was used in the Vietnam War. In the 1970s and 1980s, the U.S. developed the AH-64 Apache, which had more advanced weapons. Today, attack helicopters are used for many roles, including close support for troops and special operations missions.

Soviet Union and its successor states

In the 1960s, the Soviet Union began developing attack helicopters. The Mil Mi-24, first flown in 1969, became a key aircraft. Later, the Mil Mi-28 was developed as a faster attack helicopter. After the Soviet Union broke up, Russia continued to use and upgrade these helicopters.

China

In the 1980s, China decided it needed its own attack helicopters. They developed the Z-10, which began test flights in the early 2000s and entered service around 2010. The Z-10 was designed to work in high-altitude conditions.

Italy

In the 1970s, Italy developed the Agusta A129 Mangusta, one of the first attack helicopters in Europe. Later, Turkey bought a version of this helicopter called the T129 ATAK.

France, Germany and Spain

France and Germany worked together to develop the Tiger helicopter in the 1980s and 1990s. The first Tiger helicopters were delivered to the French and German armies in 2005.

South Africa

South Africa developed the Rooivalk attack helicopter in the 1980s and 1990s. The first Rooivalk helicopters entered service in the early 2010s.

India

India uses the Mil Mi-35 and the HAL Rudra attack helicopters. In the late 1990s, India began developing its own attack helicopters. The HAL Prachand, introduced in 2020, is a new attack helicopter designed for high mountains.

Operations

In the 1980s, during the Iran–Iraq War, many helicopters were used in battles. Iranian helicopters worked with planes to stop Iraqi forces.

In the 1990s, the U.S. used attack helicopters called Apaches in the Gulf War. These helicopters helped destroy enemy vehicles and supported soldiers on the ground. They were also used in later conflicts, like in Libya in 2011, where they helped protect people. In 2013, South African attack helicopters supported United Nations forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help keep people safe.