How US Transports its Most Feared Helicopters Inside Gigantic Aircraft

hello everyone and welcome back to the fluctus channel being an integral part of the Armed Forces Attack Helicopters are fully adapted to attack ground targets and support [Music] troops the military can extend their capabilities using them as escorts to protect transport helicopter and supplement smaller helicopters during reconnaissance missions this versatility is evident in the technology they incorporate such as autoc cannons machine guns rockets and anti-tank missiles like the AGM 114 [Music] Hellfire thanks to this Attack Helicopters tend to be expensive to produce with cost surpassing millions of dollars per unit this includes not only manufacturing but all of the expenses behind the research and development of the units Investments of such magnitude have resulted in the development of amazing helicopters such as the ah64 Apache [Music] this helicopter has been an important component of the Us and other countries military power being deployed in several missions for this various methods have been developed to facilitate the transportation of these aircraft to key points such as bases or Mission centers one of those systems is the holding blade system of the Apache to enter tight spaces this also comes with a rapid deployment blade fold kit of the Apache which restores the blades to the original configuration in 23 minutes without any extra equipment so the helicopter loading process is facilitated for The Operators of the bases that use handling equipment such as forklifts Towing vehicles or specialized helicopter movers using this handling equipment must follow a careful procedure done by highly trained Personnel like the aviation sustainment maintenance group this team is in charge of loading the Apache helicopter into cargo planes like the C5 the group assesses the weight and dimensions of the helicopters to ensure that the cargo will be well positioned inside the [Music] aircraft moreover rather than having only a tail bay door the C5 also has a nose door to enable drive-through loading and unloading of cargo thanks to this the helicopters are easily staged inside and anchored using tie down straps chains and other securing devices once the cargo bay is ready the plane can take off showing its true capabilities and potential [Music] using four tf39 turbofan engines this aircraft can carry up to 135,000 lb of cargo inside its 35,000 cuic feet compartment however one of its most important features is its capacity to do aerial refueling thanks to the configuration of its 12 internal Wing tanks and two Wing mounted refueling receptacles the plane can receive fuel from other tanker aircraft while flying usually this is needed when the range of the route exceeds limits so planes like the KC 135 Strat tanker can replenish the C5 through the special ports [Music] having this capability significantly extends the plane's operational range and allows it to remain in the air for longer periods without the need to land and [Music] refuel just as with the loading process the c5's feed Fe allow the Apache helicopters to be unloaded quickly this combined with its performance on flight made the plane vital for the Intermodal operations of the military this involves the logistics of moving Goods or personnel with different modes of transportation through air sea Rail and roads once the aircraft is uh downloaded it doesn't stop there you can see the group of Maintenance professionals that have already descended upon the aircraft the loading teams they're going to make sure that this airplane is ready to fly as quickly as it can all of that occurs real fast and it's just due to Absolute professionalism integrating different types of vehicles is important during Intermodal operations to provide the flexibility that represents these procedures an example of this is the missions involving aircraft like the Apache helicopters being transported inside a cargo ship here the helicopters are previously prepared in the port where the operators check the aircraft conditions and dimensions to be able to move them through Port The Operators are provided with helicopter rigging equipment usually the vessels used to move the stored helicopters are car carriers also known as roro ships like the alliance Fairfax these kinds of ships are specially designed to carry wheel wheel cargo including military helicopters carried by Towing Vehicles its wide ramps located in various parts of the ship allow cargo to enter without problems this loading method speeds the process and reduces the time and labor required for handling cargo once inside the ship the helicopter is designated to an area for military cargo and weapons in order to not be confused with civilian cargo here the Apache can be accommodated and secured to the ship anchors through chains and securing devices those are inspected by ground support Personnel to ensure that they meet all safety standards and will withstand the rigors of Transit with all clear and cargo ready the ship is prepared to leave port when the ship arrives at its destination the crew and Personnel at the Port including helicopters prepared to carry out the tasks of unloading the cargo the car carrier's ramps are lowered at one end of The Vessel and the vehicles are driven out it's important to mention that any damage on the cargo is immediately noted by The Operators and taken care of as the quality of delivery is a key Point most of the Personnel working during this process are part of the theater aviation sustainment maintenance group this team and other alike are focused on moving the aircraft to the maintenance facilities and conducting reparations or [Music] checkups inside those hangers the group provides troubleshooting diagnosis and repair services for Apache helicopters those Services include components like the engine Transmissions avionics and other critical systems if those parts need replacement the team can manage the logistics and supply chain of spare parts and tools necessary for the Apache maintenance once the maintenance and fine-tuning work is completed the Apache helicopters are ready to be used in different types of operations however it is necessary to have not only the aircraft but also the crew and weapons [Music] ready for this reason members of the combat brigades carry out training exercises and handling aircraft tools including loading ammunition the soldiers use training rounds during exercises as they are inert replicas that replicate the performance characteristics of live ammunition but pose little danger to the crew during this process the team loads the rounds manually so they can understand the main weapons of the aircraft in the case of the Apache this helicopter carries a 30 mm m230 chain gun below its forward fuselage and four hard points for diverse Armament therefore the crew must use diverse loading methods depending on the weapon type one of those types includes the AGM 114 Hellfire missile during exercises or real missions the crew prepares the weapon systems for the missile loading this is done by configuring the missile rails or launchers and ensuring the mounting points are aligned properly l once this is set the missiles are secured using locking mechanisms and then connected to the helicopter avionic systems that control the launching this amount of preparation goes beyond manipulating the aircraft's ammunition and includes the logistics of refueling the helicopter training exercises regarding replenishing fuel may involve several methods in remote locations traditional infrastructure is not available so forward arming and refueling points can be set as temporary facilities here military refueling vehicles with fuel bladders pumps and hoses can be used to fill the [Applause] helicopter with this equipment hot refueling is also possible where the crew rapidly refuel and rearm aircraft without shutting down their engines all this training eventually results in a complete operational understanding of the aircraft Hey sir you go ahead and do the triangulation what's up the crew can now confidently use the weapon systems of the Apache which shows the helicopter's versatility its powerful chain gun is capable of firing at a rate of up to 625 rounds per minute however this rate may vary depending on the Tactical situation and requirements of the mission this is controlled thanks to the advanced avionic sand Control Systems implemented in the [Music] aircraft such electronics are also in charge of launching the powerful Hydra 70 Rockets with a 70 mm caliber the Hydra Rockets are used to engage soft and lightly armored targets like enemy personnel and light vehicles [Music] [Music] this preparation shows great relevance in the logistical methods of handling helicopters and other [Music] aircraft their transportation is critical in ensuring the agility and effectiveness of military operations using various vessels to move the components around the globe shows that Intermodal operations enhance flexibility and respons iess to security challenges that's the end of this video I hope you enjoyed it make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content see you next time

Channel: Fluctus

Views: 30,389

Keywords: Attack helicopters, AH-64 Apache, Helicopter transportation, folding blade system, rapid deployment blade kit, Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, C-5 Galaxy, Air transport, TF39 turbofan, aerial refueling, Car carriers, Alliance Fairfax, Sea Transport, rigging equipment, maintenance, ammunition, training exercises, training rounds, M230 chain gun, AGM 114 Hellfire, Forward Arming and Refueling Points

Id: TDbJC1ADsx0

Length: 15min 52sec (952 seconds)

Published: Wed May 29 2024