Boeing AH-6

Little Bird MH-6X MELB / AH-6I
A Boeing AH-6 on static display at the 2010 Singapore Airshow
Role	Light attack/reconnaissance helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
First flight	ULB: September 8, 2004 MELB: September 20, 2006
Status	Under development
Developed from	MH-6 Little Bird

The Boeing AH-6 is a series of light helicopter gunships based on the MH-6 Little Bird and MD 500 family. Developed by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, these include the Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) demonstrator, the A/MH-6X Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB), and the proposed AH-6I and AH-6S.

Design and development

The Unmanned Little Bird demonstrator, which Boeing built from a civilian MD 530F, first flew on September 8, 2004, and made its first autonomous flight (with safety pilot) on October 16, 2004.^[1]

In April 2006, Boeing used the ULB to demonstrate the ability of another helicopter, in this case an AH-64 Apache to remotely control the ULB's weapons payload as a part of Boeing's Airborne Manned/Unmanned System Technology Demonstration (AMUST-D) program. For the initial test, the Apache Longbow was on the ground, while the ULB was airborne several miles away and Hellfire missiles were fired from the ULB by a tester sitting at the co-pilot's station in the Apache. Both aircraft are equipped with tactical common data link equipment and technologies manufactured by L-3 Communications.^[2]

The ULB Demonstrator first flew in the unmanned mode on June 30, 2006 from the United States Army's Yuma Proving Ground, flying a pre-programmed 20-minute armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission around the facility. All previous flights during the 450 flight hour engineering development phase had a safety pilot on board, although the aircraft was typically flown remotely from the ground.^[3][4]

With the successes of the ULB, Boeing incorporated its technologies into an A/MH-6, designating it the A/MH-6X. On September 20, 2006, the first A/MH-6X lifted off on its maiden flight from Boeing Rotorcraft Systems' Mesa, Arizona facility with a pilot onboard. While the ULB Demonstrator had a payload of 2,400 pounds, the MELB has an additional 1,000 pounds payload capacity. The A/MH-6X is similar to the A/MH-6M, but includes a prototype glass cockpit and a number of upgrades to the electronics and avionics.^[5] The A/MH-6X is an optionally manned or unmanned aircraft which is a hybrid of the ULB demonstrator and the A/MH-6M mission-enhanced Little Bird which is used by US Army Special Operations Command.^[6]

Boeing, which has funded the development program itself, intends to market the aircraft for both military and homeland security roles within the U.S. and internationally.^[5] The aircraft is estimated to cost US$2 million.^[4] The systems related to the unmanned flight capabilities have also be designed to be able to be installed in any other helicopter as well, including the Apache.^[4][5] An Unmanned Little Bird performed a fully autonomous flight in June 2010, including avoiding obstacles using LIDAR.^[7][8]

In 2009, it was reported that Boeing was working on the "AH-6S Phoenix" for the US Army's restarted ARH program, named Armed Aerial Scout. The AH-6S design is stretched by 15 inches (380 mm) to allow room for other ARH crew shot down in combat to be recovered. The aircraft also would feature an extended aerodynamic nose to house avionics hardware. AH-6S cockpit and main rotor composite blades are to be based the AH-64D Block III. The AH-6S will have an improved tail rotor and more powerful Rolls-Royce 250-CE30 engine.^[9][10]

The AH-6i is the export version of the AH-6S. The AH-6i first flew on September 16, 2009.^[11] Jordan has expressed interest in ordering the AH-6i in May 2010.^[12] In October 2010 Saudi Arabia requested 36 AH-6i aircraft with related equipment and weapons from the United States through a Foreign Military Sale.^[13][14]

External media

In summer 2011, an H-6U performed autonomous landings on a moving truck bed for French companies Thales and DCNS for France's General Directorate for Armament, in preparation for sea trials on a French frigate in 2012.^[15][16]

Variants

Unmanned Little Bird (ULB)

UAV demonstrator

A/MH-6X Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB)

AH-6I

Version of the AH-6S for export.

AH-6S Phoenix

Proposed version of the AH-6 for the US Army's Armed Aerial Scout program.^[9]

Specifications

ULB/MD530F

A fully loaded Boeing AH-6 Little Bird

Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft.^[17] MD 530F data^[18][19]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1-2
• Capacity: 5 total
• Length: 32 ft 7 in (9.94 m)
• Rotor diameter: 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m)
• Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.48 m)
• Disc area: 587.5 sq ft (54.6 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,591 lb (722 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 3,100 lb (1,610 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × One Allison 250-C30 250-C30 turboshaft, 425 shp (317 kW)  takeoff power (derated)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 152 knots (175 mph, 282 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 135 kn (155 mph, 250 km/h)
• Range: 232 nmi (267 mi, 430 km)
• Service ceiling: 18,700 ft (5,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,070 ft/min (10.5 m/s)

Armament

• Guns:
  
  • 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 Chain Gun; or
  • 2× 12.7 mm (.50 cal) GAU-19; or
  • 2× 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 Minigun
• Rockets:
  
  • 2× LAU-68D/A 7-tubes rocket pods firing 2.75 in (70 mm) Hydra 70 rocket projectiles
• Missiles:
  
  • Anti-tank guided missile: 2× AGM-114 Hellfire
  • Anti-air missile: 2× FIM-92 Stinger for self-defense

See also

• U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems
  

Related development

• OH-6 Cayuse
• MD Helicopters MD 500
• MD 500 Defender
• MH-6 Little Bird
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• OH-58 Kiowa
• Bell ARH-70
• MQ-8 Fire Scout
• Boeing A160 Hummingbird
  

References

External links

• Boeing Announces New Rotorcraft Program: AH-6, Boeing, 7 October 2008.