Jump to content

List of United States military helicopters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Boeing AH-64 Apache, an attack helicopter

This is a list of United States military helicopters.

Name Role Manufacturer Notes Year of first flight Introduction Number built
Platt-LePage XR-1 Experimental helicopter Platt-LePage Aircraft Company First helicopter tested by the USAAF.[1] 1941 Never 2
Sikorsky R-4 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation World's first large-scale mass-produced helicopter and the first helicopter used by the United States Army Air Forces.[2] 1942 Unknown 131
Sikorsky H-5 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1943 1945 300
Sikorsky R-6 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation World War II 1943 1945 225
Kellett R-8 Experimental helicopter Kellett Autogiro Corporation Prototype. Program canceled 1946. 1944 Never 2
Bell H-13 Sioux Light observation helicopter Bell Aircraft Corporation Bell 47 variant. 1945 1946 2407
Bell H-12 Military utility helicopter Bell Aircraft Company Model 48 1946 Never 13[3]
Kellett XR-10 Military transport helicopter Kellett Autogiro Corporation Prototype. Program canceled 1949. 1947 Never 2
Sikorsky S-52 Utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1947 1951 93
Kaman HH-43 Huskie Firefighting/rescue Kaman Aircraft 1953 1958[4] 193
Piasecki HUP Utility helicopter Piasecki Helicopter The « Army Mule ». 1948 1949 339
Hiller OH-23 Raven Multipurpose light helicopter Hiller Aircraft 1948 1950 2000
McCulloch MC-4 Light helicopter McCulloch Aircraft Corporation Evaluated by the United States Army as the YH-30 and the United States Navy as the XHUM-1. 1948 Never Unknown
Sikorsky H-19 Utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1949 1950 1102
Vertol H-21 Cargo helicopter Piasecki Helicopter 1952 1954 707
American Helicopter XH-26 Jet Jeep Experimental tip jet

observation helicopter

American Helicopter 1952 Never 5
Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave Assault Transport Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Large heavy lift helicopter used by the Army designated "Mojave" and Marines nicknamed "Deuce" 1953 1956 153
Cessna CH-1 Skyhook Light helicopter Cessna Only helicopter ever built by the Cessna Aircraft Company. 1953[5] 1956 ~50
De Lackner HZ-1 Aerocycle Experimental rotorcraft de Lackner Helicopters Prototype. Program canceled. 1954 Never 12
Sikorsky H-34 Anti-submarine warfare helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1954 1954 2108
Bell 201 Experimental helicopter Bell Aircraft 1954 Never 1
Bell UH-1 Iroquois Utility helicopter Bell Aircraft The UH-1 was in the service of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Nicknamed the "Huey" because the original Army designation was HU-1. 1956 1959 >16,000
Hughes TH-55 Osage Light utility and trainer helicopter Hughes Helicopters Model 269/Model 300 1956 Never 2,800
Sikorsky S-62 SAR/utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation It was used by the United States Coast Guard. 1958 1961 175
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King ASW/SAR/utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation used as the official helicopters of the President of the United States Marine One 1959 1961 1500
Sikorsky S-61R Medium-lift transport/SAR helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation The S-61R served in the United States Air Force and in the United States Coast Guard. 1959 1961 Unknown
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite Anti-submarine warfare helicopter Kaman Aircraft 1959 1962 184
Boeing CH-47 Chinook Transport helicopter Boeing 1961 1962 1180
Sikorsky CH-54 Heavy-lift cargo helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1962 1964 105
Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight Cargo helicopter Boeing From 2004, Used only by the United States Marine Corps until 2015 retirement. 1962 1964 524
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Light Observation Helicopter / Utility Hughes Helicopters Won a prototype run off between Bell, Hiller and Hughes. The Bell prototype went on to become the OH-58. The OH-6 itself is the parent of the MD 500 and MH-6 variants. 1963 1966 1420
MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird Light Observation Helicopter MD Helicopters Derived from OH-6 lineage; used for special operations in the United States Army. 1963 1980 ?
Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Heavy-lift cargo helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1964 1966 500
Bell AH-1 Cobra Attack helicopter Bell Helicopter Textron Was developed by Bell as an independent concept armed helicopter. The majority of parts are interchangeable with the UH-1 series. The AH1-W and Z are used in the US Marine Corps 1965 1967 1116
Bell 206 Multipurpose Utility helicopter Bell Aircraft Corporation Common prototype with OH-58. 1966 1967 7300
Bell OH-58 Kiowa Observation/scout helicopter Bell Aircraft Corporation Five versions: OH-58A, OH-58C, OH58C/S, OH-58D, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior 1966 1969 2200
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey Utility helicopter Bell Textron 1969 1970 Unknown
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne Attack helicopter Lockheed Corporation Prototype. Program canceled 1972. 1967 Never 10
Sikorsky MH-53 Heavy-lift helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft U.S. Air Force variant of the CH-53. 1967 1968 72
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Heavy-lift cargo helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 1974 1981 ~170[6][7][8]
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Black Hawks have served in combat during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East. 1974 1979 2600
Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk[9] Combat Search and Rescue helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation This is another variant of the U.S. Army's UH-60 Blackhawk. 1974 1982 101
Bell YAH-63 Attack helicopter Bell Model 409.

Particaped in the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) competition. Lost to the YAH-64.

1975 Never 3
Boeing AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter Boeing Manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas after buyout of Hughes Helicopters. 1975 1984 1174
MD 500 Defender Light multi-role helicopter MD Helicopters Based on the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse light utility helicopter. Originally developed by Hughes Helicopters. Purchased by McDonnell-Douglas, eventually sold to MD Helicopters. 1976 1976 471
Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk Multimission maritime helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk variant. 1979 1984 Unknown
Sikorsky HH-60H U.S. Navy Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk variant. Unknown 1982 112
Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin Search and rescue helicopter Aérospatiale Helicopter Corporation

American Eurocopter

Used by the United States Coast Guard 1980 1985 102
Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite ASW helicopter Kaman Aircraft 1985 1993 Unknown
Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche Reconnaissance and attack helicopter Boeing/Sikorsky Prototype. Program canceled 2004.[10] 1996 Never 5
Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota Utility helicopter Eurocopter Adapted from the Eurocopter EC145 and built in Columbus, Mississippi. 1999 2006[11] 250
Bell AH-1Z Viper Attack helicopter Bell 2000 2010 229
Bell UH-1Y Venom Utility helicopter Bell Aircraft Corporation The UH-1Y Venom is currently in full-rate production to replace the UH-1N Twin Huey 2001 2008 92
Boeing AH-6 Light attack/reconnaissance helicopter Boeing Rotorcraft Systems ULB: September 8, 2004

MELB: September 20, 2006

In development Unknown
Bell ARH-70 Arapaho Armed reconnaissance helicopter Bell Aircraft Corporation Prototype. Program canceled 2008.[12] 2006 Never 4
Piasecki X-49 Experimental high-speed compound helicopter Piasecki Helicopter Prototype under development. 2007 1
Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel Executive transport helicopter Variant of the AgustaWestland AW101 designed to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One presidential transport fleet.

In January 2005, the US101 was selected for the VXX Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, and was promptly re-designated as the VH-71. However, development was subject to delays, cost overruns, and engineering issues.

2007 Canceled 9
X2 Experimental compound helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft / Schweizer Aircraft 2008 Never 1
Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion Heavy-lift cargo helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Developed from the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion.

2015 2022[13] 9
Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot Medium-lift transport/utility helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft Developed to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. presidential transport fleet. It is a militarized variant of the Sikorsky S-92. 2017 In development Unknown
Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant Compound helicopter Sikorsky Aircraft / Boeing Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing entry for the United States Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. Army selected the rival Bell V-280 Valor as the winner of the program. 2019 Never ?

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) did not exist until September 1947. Therefore the Sikorski R4 of 1942 "notes" indicate USAF. Possibly it was meant to be USAAF (U.S. Army Air Force).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Platt-LePage XR-1 | National Air and Space Museum". Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ "Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly". National Museum of the United States Air Force™. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ Pelletier 1992, p. 92.
  4. ^ Kaman HH-43B Huskie, National Museum of the United States Air Force, 15 July 2017.
  5. ^ Harding, Steve. U.S. Army aircraft since 1947: An Illustrated Directory. Stillwater, MN:Specialty Press, 1990. ISBN 0-933424-53-1
  6. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  7. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion Heavy-Lift Helicopter". Airforce Technology. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  8. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion". United States Navy. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  9. ^ Susan Young, Gallery of USAFF weapons – 2008 USAF Almanac, Air Force Magazine, May 2008.
  10. ^ Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche, militaryaviation.eu.
  11. ^ "UH-72 | Airbus U.S." 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  12. ^ ARH70 Arapaho, helicopassion.com, 7 December 2010.
  13. ^ "CH-53K King Stallion". Navair. Retrieved 2023-12-08.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Andrade, John M. (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials Since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 978-0-904597-22-6.
  • (in French) Philippe Poulet et Frédéric Ogeret, La fabuleuse histoire de l'hélicoptère, Éditions Mission Spéciale, 2007, 312 p. ISBN 978-2-916357-14-0
  • (in French) Ouvrage collectif, L'Atlas des hélicoptères, Éditions Atlas, Éditions Glénat, 2002, 240 p. ISBN 2-7234-3368-4
[edit]