Top 7 Amazing Helicopters of the U.S. Military

the top seven amazing helicopters of the US military [Music] [Applause] ever since they entered service in large numbers with different militaries in the 1940s 50s period helicopters have been an indispensable tool of war and peace whether its casualty evacuation troop transport disaster relief or airborne fire support helicopters are at the center of it all the technology used in helicopters has grown to such a level that it's now possible to make hybrid helicopter airplanes advanced attack helicopters and super-heavy transport the list is in chronological order with the year of the first flight being taken as a reference date so sit tight and strap your seatbelts while we go on a journey to meet these rotary wing beauties and beasts bell uh-1 huey 1956 pretty much synonymous with vietnam war technology the uh-1 was a simple and practical helicopter design which achieved legendary status due to its exploits powered by a single engine the uh-1 could carry 10 to 14 troops in the battle the main armament was the m60 machine gun mounted on either door which was operated by a gunner to protect the pilots from ground fire the seats were armored and the crew was issued with body armor for additional protection during dangerous missions over 16,000 of these versatile machines have been built and it's still used by the US Marine Corps in its uh-1y for Boeing ch-47 Chinook 1961 again we have a helicopter which was developed during the Vietnam era and survived to this day in a modern Avatar the ch-47 Chinook has a unique tandem rotor design which allows maximum utilization of the power generated by the engines to lift the helicopter since there's no tail rotor all the power is sent to the two main rotors which rotate in opposite directions at different elevations this gives the Chinook the ability to carry large payloads to high altitudes with the ability to carry a ten thousand eight hundred kilogram load underslung 9,000 kilograms inside the cabin or alternatively 55 troops seated internally the Chinook is a massive flying truck Sikorski ch-53 stallion 1964 this is the largest helicopter in the u.s. inventory with the payload capacity of over 14,000 pounds 6350 kilograms for the initial twin-engine version it can haul an equivalent weight of four fully grown rhinos the US military uses this helicopter for troop transport Special Forces insertion casualty evacuation and to lift heavy vehicles like trucks the ch-53 being a primarily marine helicopter has a watertight hole which enables it to land safely on water in an emergency situation the earliest variants entered service during the Vietnam War and the most recent variant will now enter production this again proves the longevity of American helicopter designs bell ah-1 cobra 1965 developed from the uh-1 to urgently fulfill the role of an armored helicopter which could fire guns rockets and missiles the ah-1 was the world's first dedicated attack helicopter it was pressed into service in Vietnam and saw extensive combat its slender profile tandem seating and great agility made it a very effective platform for providing aerial fire support the Cobra was initially armed with 7.62 millimeter mini guns 40 millimeter grenade launchers and rockets which allowed it to take out hidden targets throughout the jungle canopy the Vietcong would have been terrified of the venom spitting cobras which could sneak up on them and destroy anything in its path they proved themselves to be so useful that over 1,000 Cobras were built over a period of four years during the Vietnam War it lives on to this day in the form of the US Marine Corps aah 1 Z Viper which is a heavily upgraded version of the ah-1 Sikorsky uh-60 Blackhawk SH 67 DC Hawk 1974 the Black Hawk is a very versatile helicopter and has evolved into dozens of variants including the famous stealth Hawk which carried out the famous operation Neptune spear the other important variant is the naval sh-60 seahawk which is the present mainstay of the US Navy for anti-submarine anti surface transport and search and rescue missions several Sea Hawks are embarked on each US Navy aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ships whereas their destroyers carry a standard complement of to see Oz the sh-60 is equipped with a powerful surface search radar dipping sonar Sona buoys and can carry torpedoes anti-ship missiles and depth charges to engage ships and submarines both variants have had export success and are in service with over 20 countries Boeing ah-64 Apache 1975 widely accepted as the most advanced attack helicopter in service today the Apache has formed the backbone of US military ground operations for over three decades it was developed as a replacement for the ah-1 in the US Army in a bid to make it survivable on a dangerous battlefield the Apache has armor which allows it to withstand hits from 23 millimeter anti-aircraft guns and a self-sealing fuel tank which prevents leakage of fuel in case the tank is hit the Apache stub wings each mount two pylons typically carrying a mix of pods carrying 19 two point seven five inch rockets for use against personnel and light vehicles and quad racks of agm-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles there's a 30 millimeter cannon under the nose which can fire at a rate of 300 rounds per minute Stinger missiles can be fitted as well which allow the Apache to destroy serial targets in the late 90s the longbow radar was installed which allowed the Apache to take out targets from behind cover without exposing itself to the enemy the helicopter is thus an all-around weapon system which can wreak havoc on the battlefield the Apache continues to evolve in the 21st century the latest a 64 Guardian model boasts upgraded engines remote drone control capabilities and a sensor designed to highlight muzzle flashes on the battlefield below the Army has also experimentally deployed Apaches on US Navy ships and had them practice anti-ship missions and even tested a laser armed Apache bell v-22 Osprey 1989 [Music] the Osprey is the ultimate transformer and is something straight out of a sci-fi movie while taking off it looks like a helicopter with side-by-side propellers nothing unusual there but the magic starts a few seconds after it lifts off from the ground like a normal helicopter the rotor blades start to tilt forward with the wing and as your jaw drops the helicopter is now a twin propeller airplane this transformer technology is not just a visual treat but it has immense practical value as well that's why the US military is operating this aircraft and has ordered several hundred of it the Osprey in the aircraft mode can travel twice as fast as a regular helicopter this gives it a major advantage while transporting troops over hostile territory while bringing back injured troops carrying out disaster relief operations and conducting Special Forces insertion missions [Music] you you [Music]

Channel: US Military News

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Keywords: Helicopters, us helicopters in vietnam, us air force helicopters, us military helicopters, us marine helicopters, us navy helicopters, vietnam us helicopters, us helicopters, Amazing Helicopters, Top 7, military helicopters in action, best military helicopters, new military helicopters, military helicopters osprey, u.s. military helicopters

Id: wsjRVYkT49w

Length: 10min 4sec (604 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 14 2020