The AH-6J Little Bird is the armed variant of the MH-6J Little Bird light helicopter. It is featured in both ArmA: Armed Assault and ArmA 2.
ArmA: Armed Assault[]
The AH-6 is used by both U.S. Army and RACS military forces in ArmA: Armed Assault.
Overview[]
- Role:
- Light gunship
| « | Two special operations versions of the OH-6 are the AH-6 'Little Bird' armed variant, and the MH-6 utility version. The AH-6J attack helicopter, features a more powerful engine and improved avionics. The AH-6J can be armed with two seven-tube FFAR rocket launchers and two 7.62mm M134 'miniguns'. Library Description
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Design[]
Developed from the MH-6 light utility helicopter, the AH-6 is a small, versatile attack helicopter that is used primarily as an air support platform for special operations units.
Armament
By default, the AH-6 is always armed with twin 7.62 mm miniguns and 70 mm rocket pods that are fitted onto the stub wings attached onto both sides of the fuselage.
The miniguns feed from a single linked belt containing 4,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Each rocket pod contains 7 unguided rockets fitted high-explosive dual purpose (HEDP) warheads for a combined total of 14 rockets.
Features
Flown by both U.S. Army and RACS aviation units, the AH-6 serves as a lightweight and speedy counterpart to the larger AH-1Z.
Where it lacks in firepower, the AH-6 makes up for in agility as it shares the same nimble airframe of the MH-6. Though the AH-6 cannot transport any passengers due to lacking side benches, its main strength lies in that it's armed and can defend itself from ground threats.
Mobility
The AH-6 isn't that fast for a helicopter of its size, but is similarly as agile as the MH-6 and can dart in and out of tight airspaces with ease.
Drawbacks
The AH-6 also retains the same weaknesses as the baseline MH-6 - namely, that it provides almost non-existent protection for both crewmen. It is extremely fragile and is susceptible to small arms fire.
Crew Capacity
The AH-6 is supports a crew consisting of both the pilot and a co-pilot. It is unable to carry any additional passengers.
Camouflage[]
- Olive: Olive drab paint scheme. Only used on U.S. Army AH-6s.
- Desert: Desert tan paint scheme. Used exclusively by RACS-operated AH-6s.
Protection[]
The AH-6 has a base armour value of 30.
Hull[]
AH-6 hulls can withstand up to 30 points of damage.
Engine[]
The engine can only withstand 7.5 points of damage before failing.
Instruments[]
The AH-6's onboard systems can only incur a meagre 4.5 points of damage.
Main rotor[]
The main rotors can take 9 points of damage before breaking.
Tail rotor[]
The tail rotors can only withstand 6 points of damage.
Armament[]
Both weapon systems on the AH-6 are controlled exclusively by the pilot and are forward-facing only:
M134[]
| Base damage value | Initial velocity (m/s) |
|---|---|
| 25 | 900 |
Twin 7.62 mm Gatling guns. Useful against infantry and unarmoured ground vehicles.
It can toggle two fire modes:
- LOW: ~ 666 rounds per minute
- HIGH: 1,200 rounds per minute
Both miniguns have muzzle velocities of 900 m/s and identical dispersion of 0.015 rad at distances of up to 800 metres.
FFAR[]
| Damage type | Base damage value | Maximum speed (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| High-Explosive | 150 | 1,000 |
Unguided air-to-ground 70 mm rocket pods. Strong against groups of infantry and unarmoured/lightly-armoured ground vehicles.
The pods are capable of firing off one rocket every 0.2 seconds. The rockets have initial launch velocities of 44 m/s and can reach a top speed of 1,000 m/s in mid-flight. The warheads are high-explosive (HE)-based and have a blast radius of 12 metres.
Trivia[]
- Until the release of the Queen's Gambit expansion, the AH-6 served as the only armed helicopter available to RACS forces.
Gallery[]
ArmA 2[]
The AH-6J Little Bird is used exclusively by the U.S. Army in ArmA 2. It was added with the release of the Operation Arrowhead expansion pack.
Overview[]
- Roles:
- Light gunship
- Observation
| « | The AH-6 is an attack variant of the MH-6 Little Bird. It is the single-engine light helicopter used for special operations by the US Army. The AH-6J is the improved special forces attack version of AH-6, while the AH-6X is an unmanned variant of the AH-6 and is used as a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). Armoury Description
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Design[]
Returning in ArmA 2, the armed Little Bird continues to serve as a lightweight counterpart to the heavier Viper and Apache attack helicopters.
Armament
Its loadout remains unchanged in ArmA 2. As per usual, the AH-6J still carries twin 7.62 mm miniguns and 70 mm rocket pods fitted onto stub wings attached to both sides of the airframe.
The miniguns feed from a single 4,000-round linked belt, while the twin rocket pods carry a combined total of 14 rockets fitted with HE warheads.
Features
The AH-6J is still unable to transport any passengers as it continues to lack side benches. However, it is now outfitted with defensive avionics in the form of an RWR that will alert to crew of being locked onto by radar-based targeting systems.
Defensive countermeasure flares and chaff dispensers can also be launched to ward off any guided projectiles locked onto it, though its lack of a MAWS will not alert the pilot of missiles that are already in-flight.
Drawbacks
As in Armed Assault, the AH-6J provides practically zero protection for both pilots and remains just as vulnerable as it was previously.
Crew Capacity
The AH-6J is only able to transport the pilot and co-pilot. It cannot carry any additional passengers or crew.
Variants[]
The pod's camera can switch between normal day and black/white-hot thermal vision modes. It does not carry any countermeasures or defensive avionics, but has an improved infrared scanner that is specifically optimised for detecting ground targets.
(*) The AH-6X is not functional in normal gameplay unless it has been synchronised as being controllable with a UAV Terminal in the mission editor (using the UAV module).
Protection[]
Both the AH-6J and unmanned AH-6X have base armour values of 25.
Hull[]
Their hulls can withstand 25 points of damage.
Engine[]
Their engines will be disabled if they take more than 6.25 points of damage. A damaged engine will greatly reduce its power output.
Instruments[]
The cockpit's flight instruments (on manned variants) can only take 3.75 points of damage before failing.
Main rotor[]
The main rotor can only withstand 7.5 points of damage. Disabling the main rotor will prevent the pilot from being able to maintain lift. At least 30% of damage is shared with the helicopter's main "health" pool.
Tail rotor[]
The tail rotor is limited to taking just 5 points of damage. Disabling the tail rotor will prevent the pilot from being able to control the main rotor's torque. 10% of damage is shared with the main "health" pool of the helicopter.
Armament[]
Weapon systems on the AH-6J are controlled by the pilot and are forward-facing only:
M134[]
NOTE: Only available on the baseline AH-6J variant.
| Base damage value | Aerodynamic friction | Initial velocity (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | -0.0009324 | 900 |
Twin 7.62 mm Gatling guns. Useful against infantry and unarmoured ground vehicles.
Two fire modes can be toggled:
- LOW: 4,000 RPM
- HIGH: ~ 8,571 RPM
Both guns have muzzle velocities of 900 m/s. They have identical dispersion of 0.015 rad at distances of up to 800 metres.
Hydra 70[]
NOTE: Only available on the baseline AH-6J variant.
| Damage type | Base damage value | Maximum speed (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| High-Explosive | 150 | 740 |
Twin 70 mm rocket pods. Fires unguided HE rockets that are strong against clumped-up infantry and unarmoured/lightly-armoured ground vehicles.
Rockets are always launched in pairs. There is an imposed delay of 0.08 seconds in-between launches (750 RPM). They have initial velocities of 44 m/s and take a further 1.1 seconds for their motors to reach a top speed of 740 m/s in mid-flight. The warheads themselves have a blast radius of 12 metres.
Avionics[]
MAWS[]
The AH-6J does not have a Missile Approach Warning System and is unable to alert the pilot of incoming missiles that are already locked onto it.
RWR[]
The AH-6J has a Radar Warning Receiver, and will alert the pilot of being locked onto by radar-based targeting systems.
IWR[]
The AH-6J lacks an Infrared Warning Receiver and is unable to alert the pilot of being locked onto by infrared-based targeting systems.
Trivia[]
- The AH-6X's capabilities are notably demonstrated in the Open Season mission for the campaign, where it is used to spot enemy anti-air vehicles for Pierce's AH-64D to hit with his Hellfire missiles.
- This particular AH-6X is actually scripted so that it will not be fired upon by those vehicles unless it flies above a certain distance. In normal and unscripted gameplay however, the AH-6X will always be engaged regardless of its flying height.
- ArmA 2's AH-6J remains as the only rotary-wing helicopter to date in the entire series that possesses a dedicated, unmanned drone variant.
Gallery[]
External links[]
See also[]
Variants[]
Aircraft of comparable role and configuration[]
- AH-9 Pawnee (NATO successor, ArmA 3 only)
| Vehicles of ArmA: Armed Assault | |
|---|---|
| Wheeled | 5T Truck • Army 4x4 • Bus • BRDM-2 • Car • Hatchback • HMMWV (Civil) • Offroad (Hilux) • M1030 (TT650, TT650G) • Pick-Up (Datsun) • Sedan • Stryker • Tractor • UAZ • Ural |
| Tracked | BMP-2 • M1A1 • M113 • Shilka • T-72 |
| Rotor-wing | AH-6 • AH-1Z • KA-50 • MH-6 • Mi17 • UH-60 |
| Fixed-wing | A-10 • AV-8B • Camel • DC-3 • Su-34 |
| Aquatic | CRRC • RHIB • PBX Boat |
| (Parenthesis) denote variants. Queen's Gambit | |
 U.S. Army - Vehicles (ArmA: Armed Assault)
| |
|---|---|
| Wheeled | 5T Truck • HMMWV • M1030 • Stryker |
| Tracked | M1A1 • M113 |
| Rotor-wing | AH-6 • AH-1Z • MH-6 • UH-60 |
| Fixed-wing | A-10 • AV-8B • Camel |
| Aquatic | CRRC • RHIB |
 RACS - Vehicles (ArmA: Armed Assault)
| |
|---|---|
| Wheeled | Army 4x4 |
| Tracked | M113 • T-72 |
| Rotor-wing | AH-6 • MH-6 • UH-60 |
| Aquatic | CRRC |
| Queen's Gambit | |
 U.S. Army - Vehicles (ArmA 2)
| |
|---|---|
| Wheeled | ATV • HMMWV • Motorcycle • MTVR • Stryker (MGS) |
| Tracked | M1 Abrams (M1A2 TUSK) • M2 Bradley • M270 MLRS |
| Rotor-wing | AH-6J Little Bird (AH-6X) • AH-64D • CH-47F Chinook • MH-6J Little Bird • UH-60 Black Hawk |
| Fixed-wing | A-10 Thunderbolt II • C-130J Hercules • MQ-9 Reaper |
| (Parenthesis) denote variants. Operation Arrowhead | |