Anti-tank helicopter
Anti-tank helicopter / Anti-armor helicopter
- Top left: Swedish HKP 9A (MBB Bo 105) anti-tank helicopter with Saab-Emerson HeliTOW TOW-based ATH-system
- Top right: Swedish HKP 9A (MBB Bo 105) anti-tank helicopter squad during movement
- Lower left: American UH-1B Huey anti-tank helicopter with AGM-22 ATGM:s
- Lower right: French Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 342 M firing a HOT missile
Anti-tank helicopter (ATH), or anti-armor helicopter, is a type of armed helicopter, predominantly intended for anti-tank duties.[1]
Description
Dedicated anti-tank helicopters are usually outfitted with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)-system with an integrated optronic targeting system. While such helicopters may be equipped with radar warning receivers (RWR), electronic countermeasures (CM), or other warning and protection systems, etc., they mainly avoid danger through evasive doctrine. The targeting system is often a roof-mounted sight (RMS / roof sight), or mast-mounted sight (MMS / mast sight) above the rotor, which allows the helicopter to scout targets largely from behind cover, while the ATGM:s allow the helicopters to engage targets at ranges beyond small arms fire, and with the margin needed for evasive action against long range weapons.
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SFIM Osiris mast-mounted sight (MMS) on a Eurocopter Tiger
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SFIM Strix roof-mounted sight (RMS) on a Eurocopter Tiger
Anti-tank helicopters are often cheap and readily available scout or utility helicopters, outfitted with anti-tank systems, as opposed to more expensive multi-purpose attack helicopters, culminating in a more cost-effectivene solution to aerial anti-armor duties. Attack helicopters are also used as anti-tank helicopters periodically, but there are also dedicated anti-tank versions of certain attack helicopter models. The Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter has a dedicated anti-tank version equipped with a mast-mounted sight, in French designated Tiger HAC (Hélicoptère Anti-Char, "anti-tank helicopter"), in German originally designated PAH-2 (Panzerabwehrhubschrauber 2, "anti-armor helicopter 2").
Anti-tank helicopters after country
| Country | Designation | Abbreviation | Helicopter | Sighting system | Weapon system | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | A109BA | – | Agusta A109 | HeliTOW (FLIR variant) | 4 × HeliTOW-launchers (8 × TOW) | Belgium Air Force | |
| Danmark | AS 550 C2 | – | Eurocopter Fennec AS 550 C2 | HeliTOW (day variant) | 2 × HeliTOW-launchers (4 × TOW) | Danish Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.313B | – | Aérospatiale Alouette II SA 313 B | – | 4 × Nord AS.11 | French Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.316B | – | Aérospatiale Alouette III SA 316 B | APX-Bézu 260[2] | 4 × Nord AS.11 | French Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.3164 Alouette-Canon | – | Aérospatiale Alouette III SA 3164 | APX-Bézu 260[2] | 4 × Nord AS.11 | Export | |
| France | SA.341F | – | Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 341 F | APX-Bézu 334[2] | 2 × HOT-1 2 × HOT-2 |
French Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.342M | – | Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 342 M | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397[2] | 4 × HOT-1 4 × HOT-2 |
French Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.342M1 | – | Aérospatiale Gazelle SA 342 M | Viviane[2] | 4 × HOT-2 4 × HOT-3 |
French Army Air Corps | |
| France | SA.365 | – | Aérospatiale SA-365 Dauphin/Panther | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 / Viviane[2] | 4 × HOT-2 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW) |
Export | |
| France | Tiger Hélicoptère Anti-Char | Tiger HAC | Eurocopter Tiger EC-665 HAC | Osiris[3] | 2 × HOT-3 twin-launchers (4 × HOT-3) 8 × HOT-3 8 × AC 3G TRIGAT-LR |
French Army Air Corps | |
| Germany | SA.313B | – | Aérospatiale Alouette II SA 313 B | – | 4 × Nord AS.11 | Bundeswehr | |
| Germany | Panzerabwehrhubschrauber 1 | PAH-1 | MBB Bo 105 | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 | 6 × HOT-1 | Bundeswehr | |
| Germany | Panzerabwehrhubschrauber 1 A1 | PAH-1A1 | MBB Bo 105 | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 | 6 × HOT-2 | Bundeswehr | |
| Germany | Panzerabwehrhubschrauber 1 A2 | PAH-1A2 | MBB Bo 105 | Pietzsch Automatisierungstechnik ELVIS | 6 × HOT-2 6 × HOT-3 |
Prototype | |
| Germany | Panzerabwehrhubschrauber 2 | PAH-2 | Eurocopter Tiger EC-665 UHT/KHT | Osiris[3] | 8 × HOT-3 8 × PARS 3 LR |
Bundeswehr | |
| Germany | Bo 105 Panzerabwehrhubschrauber | Bo 105 PAH / Bo 105 P | MBB Bo 105 CB | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 | 6 × HOT-1 | Export | |
| Germany | Bo 105 TOW | - | MBB Bo 105 CB | Hughes/British Aerospace TOW roof sight[2] | 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW)[2] | Export | |
| Germany | BK 117 A-3M | - | MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 A-3M | Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 roof sight + Hughes/British Aerospace TOW mast sight[2] | 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW)[2] |
Export | |
| Italy | A 109A | – | Agusta A 109A | SFIM APX M 397 | 2 × M65 TOW-launchers (4 × TOW) | Export | |
| North Korea | *H-500E | – | Hughes 500E | – | 4 × AT-3 Sagger clones | North Korean Army | |
| Romania | IAR-316B | – | Aérospatiale Alouette III | – | 6 × Malyutka | Romanian Army | |
| Romania | IAR-317 Skyfox | – | Aérospatiale Alouette III | – | 6 × Malyutka | Prototype | |
| Saudi Arabia | AH-6 Little Bird | – | McDonnell Douglas 530 | chin-mounted sight | 4 × TOW 4 × Hellfire |
Saudi Arabian Army | |
| Saudi Arabia | MH-58D Combat Scout | – | Bell 406CS Combat Scout | HeliTOW | 2 × HeliTOW-launchers (4 × TOW) | Saudi Arabian Army | |
| South Korea | 500MD Defender | – | McDonnell Douglas 500 Defender | nose-mounted sight | 4 × TOW | South Korean Army | |
| South Korea | 520MK Black Tiger | – | McDonnell Douglas 520MK Black Tiger | chin-mounted sight | 4 × TOW 4 × Hellfire |
South Korean Army | |
| South Korea | LAH-1 Miron | – | KAI LAH-1 Miron | nose-mounted sight | 4 × TAipers | South Korean Army | |
| Sweden | pansarvärnshelikopter 3A | pvhkp 3A | Agusta-Bell 204/205 | reflector sight | 6 × robot 53 Bantam | demonstrator 1966 | |
| Sweden | pansarvärnshelikopter 9A | pvhkp 9A | MBB Bo 105 CBS | HeliTOW (day variant) | 2 × HeliTOW-launchers (4 × TOW) | Swedish Army Air Corps | |
| UK | Scout AH.1 | – | Westland Scout | – | 4 × Nord AS.11 | British Army Air Corps | |
| UK | Lynx AH.1 (TOW) | – | Westland Lynx | Hughes/British Aerospace TOW roof sight | 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW) 8 × Hellfire |
British Army Air Corps | |
| USA | UH-1B Iroquois | – | Bell UH-1 Iroquois | – | 6 × AGM-22 ATGM:s | US Army | |
| USA | UH-1C Iroquois | – | Bell UH-1 Iroquois | – | 6 × AGM-22 ATGM:s 6 × TOW |
US Army | |
| USA | MH-6 Little Bird | – | McDonnell Douglas 530 | chin-mounted sight | 4 × TOW 4 × Hellfire |
US Army | |
| USA | AH-6 Little Bird | – | McDonnell Douglas 530 | chin-mounted sight | 4 × TOW 4 × Hellfire |
US Army | |
| USA | OH-58D Kiowa Warrior | KW | Bell 406 | mast-mounted sight | 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW)[2] 4 × Hellfire[2] |
US Army | |
| USA | AH-58D Kiowa Warrior | KW | Bell 406 | mast-mounted sight | 4 × M65 TOW-launchers (8 × TOW)[2] 4 × Hellfire[2] |
Task Force 118 (4th Squadron, 17th Cavalry) | |
| USA | Texas Ranger | – | Bell 206L Texas Ranger | Hughes/British Aerospace TOW roof sight | 2 × M65 TOW-launchers (4 × TOW) | Export | |
| USA | Hughes 500MD/TOW Defender | – | McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender | nose-mounted sight | 4 × TOW | Export | |
| USA | Hughes 500MD/MMS-TOW Defender | – | McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender | Hughes/British Aerospace TOW roof sight | 4 × TOW | Export |
Anti-tank helicopter sighting systems
- France APX-Bézu 260 – day sight[2]
- France APX-Bézu 334 – day sight[2]
- France Bendix-SFIM APX M 344 – day sight[2]
- France Bendix-SFIM APX M 397 – day sight for Euromissile HOT[2]
- France SFIM Viviane – day/night thermal sight for Euromissile HOT[2]
- France SFIM/TRT Strix – gyro-stabilised roof-mounted infrared sight with CCD TV (charge coupled device television camera), laser rangefinder and direct
optical sight[3]
- France SFIM/Euromep Osiris (Optical Stabilised InfraRed Integrated System) – mast-mounted sight with an IRCCD-camera (infrared charge coupled device) and laser rangefinder[3]
- Germany Pietzsch Automatisierungstechnik ELVIS – helicopter thermal imaging sight
- Sweden Saab-Scania Helios (1976) – gyro-stabilized sight with target marking video camera; could be integrated with (among others): BGM-71 TOW and RBS 70
- Sweden Saab-Emerson HeliTOW (1980) – gyro-stabilized sight with laser range finder, optional night vision/FLIR, CCD sensors; designed for BGM-71 TOW
- USA/ UK Hughes/British Aerospace TOW roof sight (1981) – helicopter roof sight for the BGM-71 TOW; nightvision introduced in 1988
See also
References
- "Letzter Schuss" (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- "Classix: Rotor und Rakete (1982) - Bundeswehr" (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- "Classix: Panzerabwehr aus der Luft (1992) - Bundeswehr" (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- "Panzerabwehrhubschrauber" (in German). Brockhaus Enzyklopädie. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
Notes
- ^ a b Militärisches Studienglossar Englisch Teil II/ Teil III, Deutsch – Englisch, Abkürzung Begriff, Bundessprachenamt (Stand Januar 2001) (in German). p. 283.
Panzerabwehrhubschrauber (PAH) – antiarmor helicopter, antitank helicopter (ATH)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Bill Gunston, Mike Spick (1991). Modern Fighting Helicopters. pp. 84, 85, 92, 93, 97, 98, , 128, 130, 131, 172. ISBN 1855011646.
- ^ a b c d e "TIGER ATTACK HELICOPTER, GERMANY" (PDF). aviatorsdatabase.com. Retrieved 21 December 2025.