Will "Little Bird" solve the big problems of American special forces?

46

The US Special Operations Command is frankly saying: more is needed! More than what and for whom - this is the question of our review. This is a helicopter for special operations.

The fathers of American special forces commanders are like blood crows craving the increase in speed and payload that should come with the new helicopter.



We are talking about replacing the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" with something more modern, because today the "Little Bird" does not meet the requirements of SOCOM and there is no certainty that the helicopter will remain in service with the commandos after 2030, when new ones will enter service. machines developed in the framework of the FVL program.

More precisely, within the framework of the FLRAA (Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft) subprogram, where work is underway to create an assault helicopter with an increased flight range, which should seem to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 "Black Hawk" medium multi-purpose helicopter. Yes, the “Hawk” can no longer cope at all and really needs to be replaced.

Competitive trials for applicants for a share in the military budget should begin in the fall of 2022.

Bell and Sikorsky became the finalists in the competition, the latter entered into an allied agreement with Boeing. Comparative tests should show who is better, Bell V-280 "Valor" or Sikorsky / Boeing SB-1 "Defiant", respectively.


Bell V-280 Valor


Sikorsky/Boeing SB-1 Defiant

The choice of one device for further implementation based on comparative tests of demonstrators is expected to be completed by early 2022, the first prototype should be ready by 2025, and serial deliveries are planned to begin in 2030.

There is no doubt that the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" will survive until this time. Another question: what's next? After all, the service life of the "Bird" is neither more nor less, but 42 years. An impressive figure that designers and manufacturers can be proud of, if it weren't for ... If it weren't for the rapidly changing world, not for the better.

And in today's world, the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" remains the slowest of the three helicopters that are involved in special operations by the same 160th Special Operations Regiment "Night Hunters". The larger MH-60M "Black Hawk" and MH-47G "Chinook", which are used for long-range operations, are larger and faster.


MH-47G "Chinook"


MH-60M "Black Hawk"

And, despite this, they want to change the Black Hawk.

But what to do with the M/AH-6 "Little Bird", which is also highly revered and needed as a vehicle for commando raids and close air support in cramped urban environments, landing sites in dense jungles and in other places where the "Black Hawk" cannot participate in the first place due to its size.


In general, the presence of three machines of different sizes allows a more flexible approach to the issues of transport support for ongoing operations, adapting the use of helicopter types directly to each individual mission.

Of course, since its appearance in the US Army, the "Little Bird" has gone through a rather long modernization path, which has generated several interesting modifications. The AH-6C became a lightweight fire support variant capable of carrying weapon on two or four external hardpoints, the EH-6E model is used for electronic warfare and reconnaissance, or is used as an air command post.

The MH-6H model is an improved version of the support helicopter, which allows you to fight the ground forces of the alleged enemy. To fight aviation or open combat, the helicopter has practically no armor, but the machine can provide some fire support to its paratroopers. A set of weapons may include a 30 mm aviation automatic cannon, 2 machine guns of 7,62 mm caliber, 2 heavy machine guns of 12,7 mm, 2 blocks of unguided rockets, 2 anti-tank missiles.

Will "Little Bird" solve the big problems of American special forces?

In general, the "Bird" with its small size turned out to be a really decent "street fighter" capable of operating in urban conditions at minimum heights. And even today, the helicopter is quite relevant, there are very few models in the world equal to it.


But Jeffrey Downer, who is in charge of aviation at SOCOM, believes that the days of "Little Bird" are passing. And by 2043, when vehicles developed under the FARA / FLRAA program appear in service, the M / AH-6 “Little Bird” will retire.

At an industry conference for SOF forces in Tampa in May 2022, Downer said:

“Our Little Birds fly at 90 knots (150 km/h). FARA gives us the ability to fly more than twice as fast at 180 knots (300 km/h). For the FLRAA, this requirement is 230 knots (370 km/h), which is well above the 110-120 knots (180-200 km/h) we are flying right now on the MH-60M Black Hawk.

My biggest concern is that we are upgrading our fleet to fly 200+ knots, and I have a helicopter that is 80-90 knots so it can't keep up."

Despite this, Downer said, work on the modernization of "Little Bird" will continue. Today, the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" fleet consists of almost two families of machines. AN-6 are support helicopters that perform not only the functions of delivering troops to the place of the operation, but also provide fire support. MN-6 - unarmed versions used exclusively for transport purposes.

The entire fleet of A/MH-6s is in Block 2.2 configuration, which includes survivability upgrades, emergency seats and sealed fuel tanks. In the near future, the helicopters will receive a set of modernization improvements, including a new six-bladed main rotor system, which should improve the aircraft's flight characteristics.

The Block 3.0 upgrade, due to begin in 2023, will bring the Little Birds new larger-diameter composite propellers, a new set of electro-optical and infrared tracking sensors in a new cockpit. As conceived by the designers carrying out the modernization, the bird's cabin should become more unified with the Chinook and the Black Hawk.


The question arises: why? Especially given the moment that new, faster and more modern cars are just around the corner?

Well, first of all, then, that “Freedom”, “Independence”, “Zamwalt” and “George Bush”. And if you take aviation, not everything is beautiful and fast there either. There are enough long-term construction projects, this is generally a common thing today, and not only in the USA. And no one today, in 2022, will give guarantees that in 2034 everything will be smooth and beautiful.

Meanwhile, commandos are the most sought-after troops in the US Army. And without helicopters, they will really look bad when performing their tasks.

Downer (and in his person all American special forces) needs a helicopter (or a vehicle of a different layout), small, maneuverable, light, capable of delivering 4-6 people with weapons to the site of the operation. And it would be absolutely nice if this device could be transferred to the other side of the world (and the United States has interests everywhere) in the cargo compartment of the C-130.

Well, and the fact that American special forces are increasingly working in cities, this helicopter should not be afraid of dense urban development.

In general, yes, the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" is ideal in all respects, except for speed.


The most interesting thing is that modern concepts that are born in the FLRAA program will not be able to confidently replace the "Little Bird".

The Bell 360 "Invictus" helicopter from the FARA program and the Sikorsky "Raider X-compound" from there will definitely not be able to replace the M / AH-6 "Little Bird".


Bell 360 Invictus


Sikorsky "Raider X-compound"

The Sikorsky specialists say that the weapon storage compartment in the Raider, which is located behind the cockpit, can be rebuilt to carry troops, but Bell cannot do this in its Invictus.

In addition, both helicopters have rotors larger than the "Bird" in diameter. Almost three meters, which will not allow the use of cars in missions related to urban development.

So it is clear that some M / AH-6 models will remain in service until 2038. According to the same Downer, when there is something to replace the "Bird", then the replacement processes will begin.

In the meantime, no matter how much you would like something new, but the "Little Bird" will play its big role in the everyday life of American commandos. Indeed, a helicopter that can be loaded into a C-130, unloaded somewhere in Nairobi and flown on a mission is a powerful thing.

“We've kind of pushed the boundaries in terms of what we can get from Little Bird and we're trying to figure out what the next helicopter will look like. We could continue to build on this platform, but since there is another one, we are looking at what can be done based on its capabilities.” - Downer.

And then the fun begins.

2034 year. FARA vehicles should start coming into service, but SOCOM… is waiting for the Block 4 configuration for “Little Bird”!


Downer is talking about a more powerful hybrid engine that will give the Birdie more range. It is planned to slow down the rotational speed of the main rotor at cruising speed in order to reduce the drag of the machine.

“We need this street fighter. We need this helicopter that can deploy quickly, so we will have some mixed designs in the future.” - Downer.

So no matter how much you would like to get a new car at your disposal, it will still be the old “Little Bird”, which has no equal in terms of capabilities in the American army and is not expected in the near future. Hence the beginning of a new chain of upgrades.

In general, everything is logical. If we take Russia, then we have the T-14 Armata, we have the T-90M Vladimir, but work on hundreds of T-72Bs does not stop. Fine-tuning to T-72B3 and T-72B3M allow tank be relevant, despite the half-century age of the machine.

Exactly the same thing happens with the M / AH-6. There will be new helicopters - great. No - the American commandos have someone to count on.

But much less attention is paid to what will become of the Black Hawk and Chinook. Yes, work is underway on the MH-60M "Black Hawk" and MH-47G "Chinook". Both helicopters will receive a next-generation tactical radio system and upgraded Silent Knight radars in 2023. It is believed that the Silent Knight all-weather radar will allow helicopters to significantly increase their flight capabilities in all weather conditions and at any time of the day.

Otherwise, Downer and SOCOM are confident that the new vehicles created under the FLV program, be it the Bell V-280 "Valor advanced" tiltrotor or the Sikorsky-Boeing "Defiant X compound" helicopter, will be able to replace aging special forces vehicles.

Except M/AH-6.


SOCOM works very closely with the army in terms of the implementation of orders for military equipment. But if for some reason the new FARA or FLRAA vehicles do not meet the requirements of the commandos, then they will have to get out of the situation on their own.

Helicopters of new programs fully meet the requirements of the army, which simply does not need a "street fighter". So it is understandable why SOCOM decided to act independently, upgrading the M / AH-6 for their own needs.

But if they decide to retire the Little Bird, the American commandos could really have a big headache in replacing a small but very useful helicopter.
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46 comments
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  1. -13
    28 May 2022 03: 59
    Both the small and the big bird did not help the Amerzas in Afghanistan. The strong will win.
    1. +13
      28 May 2022 05: 44
      It did not help the Zulus in 1879. You cannot fight with "spears" against machine guns.
      1. 0
        28 May 2022 20: 29
        Our "Verba" will help solve their problem, with our help.
  2. +27
    28 May 2022 04: 07
    It seems that the staff writers of the Military Review are in a crisis, and they do not have their own ideas for writing publications. On the same day, in the "Armament" section, two articles about the same American helicopter at once. I will take the liberty of suggesting that the original source was published in foreign media, and our authors "creatively reworked" this material.
    The publications of Skomorokhov and Ryabov are not very well developed, the authors did not dig deep, and there is nothing about the most interesting history of the combat use of the "little bird".
    1. +4
      28 May 2022 07: 44
      Quote: Bongo
      the history of the combat use of the "little bird".

      hi
      As you know, I'm an amateur in aviation.
      Both articles talk about the lack of an "Egg/Bird" substitution.
      The civilian Robinson R66 is comparable in size, and much younger.
      Does it make sense to consider the possibility of converting Robinson for the needs of the military?
      1. +7
        28 May 2022 08: 55
        Hello my friend!
        Quote: Mister X
        As you know, I'm an amateur in aviation.

        This was written by a person who made articles about Romanian helicopters - worthy of imitation and the highest praise!
        Quote: Mister X
        The civilian Robinson R66 is comparable in size, and much younger.
        Does it make sense to consider the possibility of converting Robinson for the needs of the military?

        Michael, the answer is obvious - of course not!
        Robinson R66 created on the basis of the piston R44 Robinson is a budget car exclusively for the civilian market. In terms of maneuverability and speed, the Robinson R66 is much inferior to the AH-6.
        By the way, while in St. Petersburg, I intended to take a 15-minute walk on Robinson over the city center. The landing site is located on Zayachy Island, not far from Petropavlovka. But due to bad weather, it didn't work out.
        1. +4
          28 May 2022 09: 39
          Previously, the Mi-8 flew.
          Hello, Sergey!
          1. +8
            28 May 2022 10: 17
            Hello Anton!
            Mi-8 is a very expensive pleasure! Flight hour - about $600. On the "Robinson" they offered to ride for 5 rubles per person.
            Agree, this is a different scale of prices.
            1. +4
              28 May 2022 10: 26
              The last time I was interested in the prices for these rides was in 2010. Then it cost 4 tyr per person.
              Given inflation and fuel prices, agree, everything is adequate?
              By the way, the people in the "eight" were stuffed like in a minibus.
              1. +6
                28 May 2022 10: 57
                The Mi-8 is considered a very reliable aircraft, but given the state of the aircraft in private ownership, I would refrain from flying on such a "minibus".
                1. 0
                  29 May 2022 00: 53
                  Quote: Bongo
                  The Mi-8 is considered a very reliable aircraft, but given the state of the aircraft in private ownership, I would refrain from flying on such a "minibus".

                  Quote: Bongo
                  The Mi-8 is considered a very reliable aircraft, but given the state of the aircraft in private ownership, I would refrain from flying on such a "minibus".

                  But in vain! I'm not saying that this is the best helicopter! I say that this helicopter is known and loved at all sites! AND ON MERITS!
        2. +5
          28 May 2022 09: 46
          I flew the R-44 as a passenger (well, they gave me a little pilot, I won’t lie) - this is a cheap mass-produced helicopter, in which everything is aimed precisely at saving. Well, in relation to aviation, since a helicopter is a priori, an expensive thing. However, the adaptation of the R66 for military purposes will "eat up" all the savings, and why? There are no other benefits.
        3. +5
          28 May 2022 13: 23
          Quote: Bongo
          This was written by a person who made articles about Romanian helicopters - worthy of imitation and the highest praise!

          Thank you, for the article I studied the topic for six months.
          This time I decided to ask a smart person wink
      2. -3
        28 May 2022 11: 09
        You can also produce multi-purpose light helicopters yourself, there are Russian projects that have not been implemented, these are MI-34 and Aktai, we are buying, of course, Robinson R66, and we are waiting for another prodigy from Russian Helicopters called VRT-500. It's a shame it's impossible for our helicopters, designers and the country.
      3. 0
        28 May 2022 12: 49
        these "cartons" are not suitable. It's good that they can fly at all.
        Non-helicopter re-autogyro.
      4. +2
        29 May 2022 11: 55
        Quote: Mister X
        The civilian Robinson R66 is comparable in size, and much younger.
        Does it make sense to consider the possibility of converting Robinson for the needs of the military?

        Then it’s easier to return to the army Kiowas (the Bell line 206-407, etc.). Yes, they are slightly larger - but they remain in the class of light cars, while being faster and more spacious.
    2. +8
      28 May 2022 09: 05
      On the same day, in the "Armament" section, two articles about the same American helicopter at once.

      But there must be a control body: the editor or someone else?
      This double looks stupid on the tape. sad
      1. +7
        28 May 2022 11: 14
        Here only us with pleasure and efficiency control. So that they write a thread that is not permissible, and God forbid someone offended a thread.
        1. 0
          28 May 2022 12: 41
          Quote: Alexey Sedykin
          Here only us with pleasure and efficiency control.

          what
          Article 29 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees everyone freedom of thought and speech, the right to freely seek, receive, transmit, produce and distribute information in any legal way; freedom of the media is guaranteed; censorship is prohibited.

          ☝️
          Criminal Code of the Russian Federation Chapter 19. CRIMES AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
          AND FREEDOM OF HUMAN AND CITIZEN
          Art.136
          shall be punishable by a fine in the amount of one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand rubles, or in the amount of the convict's wages or other income for a period of one year to two years, or by deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to five years, or compulsory work for a term up to four hundred eighty hours, either by corrective labor for a term of up to two years, or forced labor for a term of up to five years, or by imprisonment for the same term.
          recourse
  3. +4
    28 May 2022 05: 15
    But if they decide to retire the Little Bird, the American commandos could really have a big headache in replacing a small but very useful helicopter.

    If such a helicopter is very useful, then why don't we have one?
    1. +6
      28 May 2022 05: 56
      Quote: 28st region
      If such a helicopter is very useful, then why don't we have one?

      There is. Ansat class 7-9 seats. But it has American engines. When, in what year, there will be a replacement for the VK-650 is unknown. Ka-226 the same problem.
      1. 0
        28 May 2022 07: 47
        Mi 2 was! though Poland did x!
        1. +4
          28 May 2022 09: 38
          Another helicopter. And harder and harder. I remember how I flew the Mi-2 in winter and now I think it's good that it's not on the "Bird" without windows, without doors)
      2. +1
        28 May 2022 08: 43
        Sawing VK-800V
        Turboshaft modification VK-800V. It is supposed to be installed on Ansat and Ka-226 light helicopters. but when they finish it ..
    2. -2
      28 May 2022 11: 12
      Yes, there was no great need for it ... We are not Americans who crawl into every hole. Our special forces are somewhat imprisoned for something else.
  4. +2
    28 May 2022 06: 44
    The man in the pharmacy
    - I would have pills for greed. Yes, more, more!
  5. -3
    28 May 2022 07: 09
    we do not have such helicopters (and other aircraft) just because we are over 100 years old! did not learn how to make engines! And when will this Russian scourge end? , if we can’t do it, let’s steal (in the end), as it is done all over the world (no one has yet canceled industrial espionage)
    1. -2
      28 May 2022 07: 59
      Here, steal it. Yes Together with production and the designers, engineers, and workers it needs. You can look for them in the Kremlin ... or invite them from "... camps", as it is now customary to do "effective managers". It is especially convenient to do this now, when the ruble is "unprecedentedly strong" and "the window of opportunity is open." lol hi
    2. 0
      3 June 2022 14: 15
      If they couldn’t do it under the communists, now they’ve completely learned how to do it !!!! but we can’t do gearboxes, clutches, conduits and much more
  6. +6
    28 May 2022 09: 15
    Will "Little Bird" solve the big problems of American special forces?

    A good car lasts a long time. We have the closest import-substituting Ka-26, but it is obsolete and needs a serious rework for special forces. But the biaxial screw system itself is more suitable for the city. More maneuverable and smaller.
    https://topwar.ru/72640-universalnyy-ka-26.html.
    1. -1
      28 May 2022 11: 16
      It has always been interesting to me that we are the only ones actively using the biaxial system ... other countries are somehow not very good at this.
      1. +6
        28 May 2022 13: 03
        that only we actively use the biaxial system ...
        Not "biaxial, but coaxial". Only the Kamov Design Bureau managed to bring it to mind in the world. However, only the Americans managed to bring to mind the longitudinal scheme, like that of the Chinook.
        1. 0
          28 May 2022 23: 06
          However, only the Americans managed to bring to mind the longitudinal scheme, like that of the Chinook.
          .
          Yak-24 brought to mind. It is strange that some absurdities about "vibration" and "insufficient rigidity" of the fuselage are common on the net. There was even a government version, a salon. But at the same time, the Milev "eight" went in the same weight category with TV-2. And the Yak-24 simply became unnecessary.
          And the coaxial scheme ... Well, there are no special advantages. With the requirement for an increase in speed and a separate pusher propeller, they may and will (but here you can’t assemble a single-screw). The Americans are building a real fleet. And they have no problems with the air "umbrella". Both "Lynxes" and "Kings" fit there. There was no need to "sculpt a humpback."
          1. 0
            29 May 2022 09: 40
            Yak-24 brought to mind.
            Alexei, don't you remember what Yakovlev himself writes about him in his book "The Purpose of Life"? So he writes about vibrations, long before the Internet. And their series was very small. And the coaxial scheme, which was carried away almost from the beginning of the twentieth century, turned out to be brought up only by Kamov. Advantages - compactness (it was not in vain that the fleet financed it) and maneuverability with rate of climb. The Americans, with their huge number of large ships, do not really need compactness, but, I think, they would not refuse if they could make such a scheme.
            1. +1
              29 May 2022 13: 32
              do not remember what Yakovlev himself writes about him in the book "The Purpose of Life"?

              wink The helicopter was created by Erlich, an amazing and undeservedly "pushed back" designer. He also went to Kamov from Yakovlev. And his "war" and mutual hostility with Yakovlev is perhaps the real reason for Yakovlev's controversial writings. The Yak-24 is not just a finished car, but also with world records. Just look at two monographs (including the test pilot) here.

              Planes of the World 1997 03-04
              1. 0
                29 May 2022 15: 00
                but also world records.
                It, of course, can be, but the resource of the built machines suggests that long-term operation did not work out. Here the Chinook really has a world record for resource. And no one in the world has ever returned to the longitudinal scheme, except for the Americans.
                1. 0
                  3 June 2022 14: 18
                  And amers and synchrocopters fly perfectly, also the only ones in the world have convertiplanes ....
  7. 0
    28 May 2022 12: 20
    And the third article of the day about the "little bird" will be, with a third opinion different from the previous ones? The editors apparently relaxed a little, or mrgon
  8. 0
    28 May 2022 12: 47
    The attachment of the states to small birds has appeared since the days of Vietnam.
    Due to the lack of equipment and massive cases, they began to use everything that came to hand. They then also flew on the "French".
    In general, the "Bird" with its small size turned out to be a really decent "street fighter" capable of operating in urban conditions at minimum heights
    - well, yes, in games and movies they will not show that. They will shoot down in batches.
    PS There is a strong impression that Skomorokhov and some other authors are written by completely different people. Isn't it the same "gang of writers" that somehow lit up with their opus?
  9. +6
    28 May 2022 13: 00
    Selection of one device for further implementation based on comparative tests of demonstrators expected to be completed by early 2022.,
    Now what year and what month? The author's political articles come out better.
  10. -3
    28 May 2022 13: 19
    as far as I remember, such birds were shot down in Somalia in one shameful special operation for the United States
    1. +4
      28 May 2022 14: 28
      Quote: Gregory Charnota
      M/AH-6 "Little Bird"

      Memory fails you. In Somalia, the M / AH-6 "Little Bird" helicopters performed well.
      1. -4
        28 May 2022 14: 49
        apparently the blacks were aiming badly at them than at the black hawks
  11. 0
    28 May 2022 17: 44
    I read both of today's articles about "Little Bird" and I would like to note that the concept of a light helicopter for special forces in the city is incredibly promising. But both replacement projects are fundamentally flawed. They do not do the main thing - they do not create a small and nimble apparatus for close city flights.
    Such a machine would not hurt our MTR. You can take as a basis the coaxial scheme of Kamov. It will provide the necessary power, speed and lift with small dimensions. The layout of the crew and landing can be taken from the "bird". Two pilots in front in a spacious office with good views. And 6 paratroopers are located in pairs on three sides. Two inside the compartment, and two each on the benches on the sides of the helicopter.
    Or, at the risk of increasing the size, you can place not 6, but 8 paratroopers. 4 inside (sitting in pairs facing each other) and two more on each side on the benches.
    The main advantage of this technique is its low weight and size (it is easy to transport the machine without the use of heavy transport aircraft) with good performance for users over the city.
    1. 0
      28 May 2022 19: 43
      and these paratroopers are stitched through in one burst - you invented nonsense for yourself, by God - one engine for such a bird costs as much as a third of the mi-8
  12. 0
    18 August 2022 00: 10
    Helicopters of new programs fully meet the requirements of the army, which simply does not need a "street fighter". So it is understandable why SOCOM decided to act independently, upgrading the M / AH-6 for their own needs.


    To begin with, our GRU special forces brigades would receive at least 10-12 ordinary transport and assault Mi-8AMTSh, and if another link from 4 Mi-35s would be lucky ....

    It is not at all necessary to dream about specialized versions for the Ansatov and KA-60 special forces.
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