A utility helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter capable of pursuing a wide array of tasks. They have proven useful in both civilian as well as military operations, with versatility being their defining trait.
A utility helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter capable of pursuing a wide array of tasks. They have proven useful in both civilian as well as military operations, with versatility being their defining trait.
Helicopters play a crucial role in various aspects of civilian safety. Police and fire rescue aircraft demonstrate exceptional versatility across a broad spectrum of task. Common applications for civilian utility include traffic surveillance, medical evacuations, news coverage, and search and rescue missions. Recently, usage has been extended to air evacuations, air and water pollution control, emergency cargo transportation (including blood, organs, and special equipment), and as helitankers in aerial firefighting.
Traditionally, helicopters with three placed reciprocating engines, such as the 47G Series and the Hughes 300C were the primary choices for civilian use. However, the preference has been shifted towards turbine engines. The FH-100 and the Bell 206A JetRanger are examples of turbine engine helicopters which have proven to be more effective in operational scenarios.
The arising issue with civilian use helicopters is the price tag of the turbine engine helicopters. With initial cost being around $100,000, difficulties are posed when budgeting for the necessary modifications. Such modifications include night vision capabilities, infrared, and radar.
In military terms, a utility helicopter is an aircraft designed to transport troops, but is versatile in performing various combat roles. These tasks include command and control, logistics, casualty evacuation, and fire support. The Seasprite H-2 is an type of military helicopter that has undergone several modifications. Having been used for logistics and evacuation, it has recently been modified to become a sophisticated anti-submarine weapon. The defining characteristics of these helicopters are lightweight frames capable of quick maneuvers, and space, for transporting troops and cargo. Common types of cargo include ammunition, weapons, and food.
These aircraft play a crucial role in military operations by providing defensive capabilities in scenarios of evacuation and cargo transportation, as well as offensive roles in fire support and surveillance. Their ability to adapt to different mission requirements contribute significantly to the success of military objectives.
The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is an American medium-lift tandem-rotor transport helicopter powered by twin turboshaft engines. It was designed by Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol following Vertol's acquisition by Boeing.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the United States military.
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:
The EurocopterAS565 Panther is the military version of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin medium-weight multi-purpose twin-engine helicopter. The Panther is used for a wide range of military roles, including combat assault, fire support, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, and medical evacuation.
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. It is now produced by Russia. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.
The Airbus Helicopters H215 is a four-bladed, twin-engined, medium-sized, utility helicopter developed and initially produced by French aerospace company Aérospatiale. It has been subsequently manufactured by the successor companies Eurocopter and Airbus Helicopters. The Super Puma is a re-engined and more voluminous version of the original Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma.
The Mil Mi-4 is a Soviet transport helicopter that served in both military and civilian roles.
The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Black Hawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service. New and improved versions of the UH-60 have been developed since. Civilian versions, and some military versions, are produced under various S-70 model designations.
Turkish Aerospace Inc. is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey.
The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam. It is headquartered and mainly based at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba, within the Brunei International Airport (BIA). The role of the Royal Brunei Air Force is to defend the national airspace and to provide air policing and surveillance of its land and maritime borders. As of 2024, the Royal Brunei Air Force operates twenty-two manned aircraft and five unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force is the surface warfare branch of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), consisting of all surface vessels in operational service with the PLAN. The PLAN Surface Force operates 661 ships organized into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet, the East Sea Fleet and the South Sea Fleet.
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply lines to forward bases that are difficult to reach by ground or waterborne access, and can be used for both strategic and tactical missions. They are also often used for civilian emergency relief missions by transporting humanitarian aid.
A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion. The most common use of military helicopters is transport of troops, but transport helicopters can be modified or converted to perform other missions such as combat search and rescue (CSAR), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), airborne command post, or even armed with weapons for attacking ground targets. Specialized military helicopters are intended to conduct specific missions. Examples of specialized military helicopters are attack helicopters, observation helicopters and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.
The Changhe Z-11 is a light utility helicopter developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC). According to the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation website, it is claimed to be the first indigenously-designed helicopter in China. However, it is largely based on the Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil.
The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, Forestry Operations, and aerial firefighting.
The Eurocopter EC635 is a multi-purpose light helicopter developed by Eurocopter as a military version of the Eurocopter EC135. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 8 people, including the pilot, and a range of military equipment or armaments. The helicopter is marketed for troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo transport, reconnaissance and surveillance and armed combat support missions.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, first introduced in 1959, is the first production member of the prolific Huey family of helicopters, and was itself developed in over twenty variants, which are listed below.
The Mil Mi-36 was a Soviet light multipurpose helicopter first projected in the early 1980s. Its projected roles were to assist in fire support and communications, cargo transportation, SAR and medevac, and aerial surveillance. It was also planned to use twin TV-O-100 turboshaft engines, a two-bladed main rotor and a four-bladed tail rotor.
Shipboard helicopter operations is the use of techniques which allows operation of rotary wing aircraft from naval vessels. In the case of military vessels the operations also include tactics and associated weapons and troops.
The Lockheed MartinKC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered out of 79 ordered. It replaced older KC-130F, KC-130R, and KC-130T variants for aerial refueling. USMC reserve unit, VMGR-452 operated 12 KC-130T aircraft until May 2021; this was the last USMC reserve unit that operated the legacy KC-130s, completing the corps' transition to the more advanced Super Hercules.
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