According to many military experts, the finest hour of helicopter construction was in the second half of the 20th century. World War II dispensed with the use of such machines. However, already in the Korean War the situation radically changed. The first to start using combat helicopters were the Americans. At first, the high command of the United States Air Force was skeptical of the idea of using helicopters on the battlefield. However, during the Korean War, helicopters, contrary to the expectations of American generals, effectively carried out fire adjustments, reconnaissance, landing, and evacuation of the wounded. Second in the world in terms of prevalence after the Soviet Mi-24 turntable was taken by the American Apache helicopter. Since 1980, it is considered the main striking combat vehicle of the US Air Force. Description, arrangement and performance characteristics of Apache helicopters are presented in the article.
Acquaintance
The AN-64 Apache helicopter is the first army combat vehicle, the purpose of which is to provide interaction with ground forces deployed at the forefront. In addition, provided for the use of shock "turntables" to confront enemy tanks. Apache helicopters (the photo of the machine is presented in the article) were created specifically for offensive operations and support of ground forces in any weather conditions.
In the modern army, an attack helicopter is an indispensable and truly universal machine. For reconnaissance of a cluster of enemy ground forces, coordination of combat units from the air, and destruction of armored vehicles, turntables will do just fine. Today, there is an absentee rivalry between two leading armies in the world: the Russian Federation and the United States of America. Therefore, it is logical that many military experts compare the Apache and Ka-52 helicopters, developed by Russian designers.
On the effectiveness of combat "turntables"
The low flying qualities of the helicopters, the difficulty in maintenance, and the vulnerability to air defense from the enemy impeded the purchase of these military vehicles by the United States Army. Before using the turntables, nearly 90% of American soldiers died of moderate to severe wounds. With the beginning of the “helicopter era”, military experts noted a decrease in mortality to 10%.
Initially, helicopters performed tactical missions: they supplied and deployed troops. Soon the helicopter was no longer used as a vehicle, but as a strike machine, an ideal attack aircraft and a means of supporting ground forces. At the end of the war in Korea, helicopters were already equipped with small light machine guns and unguided rockets.
Soon, military technologists developed anti-tank guided missiles. From that moment, the helicopter began to be used as an effective means for destroying enemy armored vehicles.
About the first combat vehicles
During the war in Vietnam, the Huey helicopter was widely used. This reliable and unpretentious machine is produced today. Helicopter “Cobra” has also become an effective tool for supporting ground troops and destroying enemy armored vehicles. Towards the end of the war, several special divisions were formed, armed exclusively with helicopters. In the second half of the 70s there was a need for a new attack helicopter, which was planned to replace the "Cobra".
The beginning of design work
The design of the new “turntable” was conducted on a competitive basis by several US aircraft manufacturers. In 1973, Bell and Hughes entered the final. The first company developed the 409th AN-63, and the Hughes AN-64. In 1975, comparative tests of two combat vehicles were conducted. In terms of tactical and technical characteristics, as well as in such parameters as climb and maneuverability, the AN-64 significantly surpassed its competitor. Management of the Apache helicopter was carried out by test pilots Robert Ferry and Relie Fletcher. After the competition, the helicopter was refined, some changes were made in the design and on-board equipment. According to experts, the car was still tested for 2400 hours. For unknown reasons, the serial production of the Apache helicopter was decided to be postponed for a couple of years.
About the requirements for the American "turntable"
Apache combat helicopter was supposed to have the following tactical and technical characteristics:
- Cruising speed of 269 km / h.
- Rate of climb 2.3 m / s.
- Flight duration up to 110 min.
- The Apache combat helicopter must carry out successful flights at night, in rainy weather, and also with the help of special instruments, continue combat missions in conditions with poor visibility. In addition, a hit of a 12.7 mm caliber projectile should not jeopardize the fulfillment of the mission assigned to the flight crew.
About mass production
In 1981, the design of the Apache military helicopter was fully completed. Serial production of “turntables” was launched in 1984. A plant was built specifically for the manufacture of the AN-64 in Arizona in the city of Mesa. Initially, the production of "turntables" was dealt with by the Hughes Aviation Company and its helicopter-building branch. However, soon the right to serial production of the AN-64 passed to the McDonell-Douglas Corporation. The Apache helicopter (photo of the helicopter below) is one of the best strike combat vehicles in the world, which entered the service of the first squadron in 1986.
Three years later, the National Guard of the country was equipped with these “turntables”. Serial production of helicopters was completed in 1994. In total, the American military industry built 827 AN-64s. The production of one military unit cost the state $ 15 million. Russia has to spend 16 million on the manufacture of one Alligator
Description
For the design of the Apache helicopter model, a classic single-rotor scheme was used. For the helicopter, there is one steering and one main rotor equipped with four specially designed blades. The main rotor is equipped with 6 m long blades. They are made of metal. For the blades, a fiberglass coating is provided.
Composite material is used to manufacture the trailing edge, and titanium is used for the leading edge. Thanks to this design feature, the Apache helicopter is not afraid of collisions with small obstacles - branches and trees.
An X-shape is provided for the tail rotor. As the developers considered, such a design is more effective than traditional. In addition, this “turntable” has a small elongation wing and a three-post fixed gear landing gear using a tail wheel. The wing is removable. In the manufacture of the AN-64 fuselage, aluminum alloys and materials with increased strength and toughness are used.
The Ka-52 is an improved version of the Ka-50 Black Shark helicopter. For the Russian machine is characterized by the rotation of the blades in different directions. This provides an opportunity for unique maneuvering - creating a "funnel". This technique is a helicopter flight sideways. They resort to it in those situations when it is necessary to evade anti-air defense means aimed at the “turntable”.
About the features of the American car
US Apache helicopter equipped with interchangeable interchangeable engines. Since thermal radiation is generated as a result of their work, the designers, in order to reduce its impact, developed a special screen exhaust device for the helicopter. Its task is to mix cold outboard air with hot exhausts.
The bow of the “turntable” has become the location for the video camera, the laser system responsible for measuring the distance to the target and its illumination, the thermal imager and the movable gun mount. For mounting the above items on the Apache helicopter, a special turret is used. Equipping the “turntable” with an X-shaped tail rotor, the developers managed to reduce the noise. In addition, various angles are provided for arranging the blades. As a result, each blade drowns out some of the noise that the other makes. According to experts, a double screw works much quieter than a single screw.
The main supports in the Apache helicopter model are chassis. The ability to remove it is not structurally provided. This chassis has powerful shock absorbers, the purpose of which is to prevent injury to the flight crew by absorbing impact energy in the event of an emergency landing. The vertical speed should not exceed 12 m / s.
In battle, the Apache helicopter is reliably protected from missiles containing an infrared homing head. This was made possible thanks to the special infrared counteraction system ALQ-144, the task of which is to throw out infrared traps.
About the cab
The Apache attack helicopter is equipped with a two-seat cockpit, which is characterized by a tandem arrangement of seats. The front is for the second pilot-shooter, and the rear, raised by 480 mm, is for the pilot. The lower part and sides of the cab are covered with armor. The space between the seats has become a place for a transparent partition. In its manufacture, Kevlar and polyacrylate are used. This partition is able to withstand the direct hit of a bullet and a projectile, the calibers of which vary from 12.7 to 23 mm. Thanks to this cabin design, the flight crew is provided with maximum protection.
In an effort to increase the combat survivability of the Apache helicopter, American designers in the turntable use two independent hydraulic systems, protected fuel tanks and the most important armored systems and sections.
The design of the Russian Ka-52 helicopter (according to NATO classification, it is listed as "Alligator") is characterized by a coaxial scheme. The cabin in this "turntable" is double. However, the chairs are located side by side to each other. There are no restrictions for piloting in the Alligator. Thus, both pilots can fire and control the “turntable”. The helicopter cabin is equipped with a special armored capsule. The crew can eject at an altitude of at least 4100 m. The armored coating protects the pilots from caliber bullets no higher than 23 mm.
About weapons
The Apache can destroy the enemy’s armored vehicles with the help of a 30x113 mm caliber M230 single-barreled automatic cannon. Its weight is almost 57 kg. The length of the gun is 168 cm. Within one minute, the pilot can fire up to 650 shots. The projectile launched flies at a speed of 805 m / s. Communication with the gun is provided with an electric drive. Tank shooting is underway:
- A cartridge containing an M799 high-explosive fragmentation projectile and an explosive mass of 43 g.
- The cartridge, which uses the armor-piercing-cumulative projectile M789. This ammunition is capable of penetrating 51 mm thick homogeneous armor.
Hellfire anti-tank missiles are used as the main weapons in the AN-64. On one "turntable" can fit up to 16 of these missiles. They are located on four wing suspensions. For missiles, targeted target shooting is provided at a distance of no more than 11 thousand meters. Since the maximum range of tank missiles does not exceed 5 thousand meters, heavy machine guns 1.5 km, the Apaches, according to experts, can be considered inaccessible to these enemy guns. Unable to destroy the AN-64 and the Igla, Verba, and Stinger launchers.
The Russian “turntable” is equipped with:
- Twelve Whirlwind anti-tank missiles. They move to the target at a speed of 400 m / s. Russian missiles are able to destroy an enemy tank from a distance of up to 8 thousand meters. 95 mm thick armor is pierced.
- Small arms armament, which is represented by a movable gun 2A42 caliber 30 mm. The gun is equipped with 460 shells. The weight of one is 39 g. The projectile moves towards the target at a speed of 980 m / s. The gun is effective at a distance of up to 4 km.
- Unguided rocket weapons of caliber 80 and 122 mm.
- Four guided air-to-air missiles R-73 and Igla-V.
What is equipped with an American helicopter?
Powerful electronic equipment is provided for the AN-64. Flight crew training takes place on a special simulator. The Apache helicopter is equipped with the TADS system, which carries out detection and target designation, and represents the main combat power of the turntable. In addition, for the helicopter, US military designers developed the PNVS night vision system and the integrated helmet-mounted INADSS system, with which small arms and missile weapons are powered by turning the head. The main system is equipped with a laser pointer-rangefinder. The ability to track the terrain so as not to be detected by the enemy during combat sorties has become available thanks to the more advanced FLIR-PNVS system.
About the power plant
"Apache" is equipped with a T700-GE-701 engine, whose power is 1695 liters. with. For the “turntable”, there are two high-pressure fuel pumps, the place for which are special gondolas on both sides of the fuselage. The helicopter is equipped with two protected tanks, the total capacity of which is 1157 liters. Tanks are placed behind the pilot's seat and behind the gearbox. In addition, fuel tanks (4 pcs.) Can additionally be attached to wing units equipped with armament suspensions. The capacity of one tank is 870 liters.
About TTX
Here are some things to note:
- AN-64 is able to reach a maximum speed of 309 km / h, cruising speed - 293. The Russian “turntable” is considered to be somewhat faster. The maximum speed of the Alligator is 350 km / h.
- "Apaches" are designed for combat load up to 770 kg.
- The flight range indicator is 1700 km, Ka-52 - 520.
- The helicopter is designed for three-hour flights.
- The flight crew consists of two people.
- The maximum take-off weight is 8006 kg, the normal take-off weight is 6670 kg. An empty helicopter weighs 4657 kg.
- The helicopter has a maximum climb rate of 12.27 m / s.
- The helicopter is operated from the USA, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan.
About modifications
The American helicopter is available in several versions:
- Sea Apache AN-64A. This model of the “turntable” carries out anti-submarine defense of the forces of the American Navy and Marine Corps. In addition, the helicopter conducts intelligence activities. Helicopter carries out flights up to 240 thousand meters, search and destruction of enemy ships. Also, this combat vehicle is used in those situations when you need to cover the landing of landing troops. 18 Sea Apache units were purchased by Israel, 12 by Saudi Arabia, 24 by Egypt, 12 by Greece. In addition, several turntables are used in South Korea and Kuwait.
- Apache Bravo AN-64V. Represents a more advanced previous model. During the design, the designers used the experience of using “turntables” in the Persian Gulf. In this model of the helicopter, the developers changed the layout of the cockpit and increased the wingspan. Helicopter due to more powerful engines and outboard tanks can carry out sorties, the range of which has now increased by 200 thousand meters. The military industry of the United States produced 254 combat vehicles.
- AN-64S. The Pinwheel is an intermediate option between the AN-64A and Apache Longbow models. In 1993, a 2000-hour test program was completed by helicopter. It was planned to carry out the modernization of 308 combat vehicles. However, in 1993, the program was closed.
- AN-64D "Longbow Apache". It is an improved model of the AN-64A. It is considered the second main modification of the Apache. The main feature of this “turntable” is the presence of the AN / APG-78 radar system. Its location was a special streamlined container above the rotor. In addition, the helicopter is equipped with reinforced engines and new avionics. In service with the U.S. Army since 1995.
Expert opinion
According to aviation experts, the engine power of the American model is losing to the power plant, which is equipped with the Russian Alligator combat vehicle. However, in such a parameter as the flight range, the Apaches are superior to the Ka-52. Regarding weapons, the American helicopter is weaker. The Alligator is equipped with real giants - 122-mm S-13 unguided missiles, which are capable of penetrating concrete firing points, as well as armored vehicles and enemy ships.
Both models also differ in the quality of booking. The Apaches use polyacrylic and Kevlar armor plates, which, according to experts, are theoretically capable of withstanding the direct hit of a projectile from a heavy machine gun. Однако события 2003 года, когда армия Соединенных Штатов вторглась в Ирак, на практике показывают обратное. Тогда сбить «Апач» удалось обычному крестьянину. В качестве оружия он использовал простую охотничью винтовку. Ка-52 является более живучим.
