Which attack helicopter is the best in the world

As of , a modern attack helicopter has shaped itself into a universal combat platform that follows the same mainline design principles and elements. A modern, dedicated attack helicopter is most likely to include all of these elements: tandem seat usually gunner in the front, pilot in the rear , narrow body, little to no cargo space, armored crew compartment, employing 20 to 30 mm cannon, shaped charge guided anti-tank missiles ATGMs , unguided smaller diameter rockets usually high explosive-fragmentation , and nose mounted sensor suite.

With unmanned aerial vehicles becoming more and more prominent, most are integrating short range air defense elements, such as, in the case of Western designs, Sidewinder missiles on the tips of the weapons' pylons or Stinger missiles on the hardpoints. Attack helicopters are an expensive and burdensome luxury from a financial and developmental perspective, therefore, only the leading nations can develop and deploy their own designs.

Consequently, the absolute majority of current attack helicopters make this list as options are rather limited even worldwide. With the bold intention of manufacturing one of the best attack helicopters in the world, Denel Aviation succeeded in producing an aircraft on par with its rivals. Being armed with highly sophisticated indigenous Mokopa ATGMs, the Rooivalk outmatches everything South Africa could potentially face in its geopolitical region. Lighter than its contemporaries, The Chinese Z was designed with an input from Russian Kamov design bureau.

It is the first indigenous attack helicopter produced in China. A Fresh design with an introduction dating back to , numerically it already covers the needs of Chinese armed forces. The Z is yet to receive its trial by fire.

The recurring aerial image of Asian and African conflicts for the past 40 years, the aging design is a multifunctional platform used by countless nations and paramilitary groups. Mi to helicopters is what AKM is to assault rifles. A Cold War-goes-hot classic with an incredible staying power. As of August 25, , a new variant, MiP is starting serial production for an undisclosed foreign customer. The Italian A is the first attack helicopter to be manufactured in Western Europe.

The Apache is undoubtedly one of the most feared attack helicopters on the battlefield today anywhere in the world. It has seen active combat in a range of missions and conflicts around the world and is in service in many allied militaries around the world. But it also has capacities in an air-to-air combat role as well. Also known as the WZ it first saw flight in and was introduced in When it was in its early design stages, it was being designed with cooperation with the Russian in their Kamov Design.

The Eurocopter Tiger is a European-made attack helicopter that has been in service since While it's the European answer to the American Apache, it has only been produced in low numbers with around being procured.

It is used by the German and French militaries as well as the Australian military — which plans to replace the Eurocopter with America's Apache. The Eurocopter Tiger was initially intended as an anti-tank platform against the feared Soviet invasion of Western Europe during the Cold War. Today, it is more of a multi-role attack helicopter. It has seen combat in Afghanistan, Libya, and Mali. It is a fully dedicated anti-armor attack helicopter designed to function in all weather conditions and day and night.

There are plans for it to gain an air-to-air capability. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.

Good Subscriber Account active since Shortcuts. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Log out. US Markets Loading But after the Cold War ended, the idea of having an attack helicopter with more commonality to the Mi Hind became appealing. The program began to take off in the s.

Several variants of the design were built, including those made specifically for export. The Eurocopter Tiger went into service in , before the chopper manufacturer merged with Airbus. The project had been in development for decades; its original mission was to be an anti-tank gunship to guard against a Soviet land invasion. When the Soviet Union collapsed in , Germany and France continued with the project and made the Tiger a multi-mission capable helo.

If you think these two-crew member choppers have limited capabilities, read this harrowing account of the heroic actions of a Tiger crew who rescued three crewmembers from a downed Gazelle in Mali.

First flown in , the Mangusta is in many ways the precursor to the Eurocopter Tiger. The craft is still in service today with the Italian Army. It was initially begun as a joint venture between Italy and West Germany. While that partnership eventually faded into history, Agusta successfully designed the craft to be a marketable competitor to the US-built Apache on the international market. The final designs of the A are true multi-mission capable choppers, depending on their armaments.

They can be used for armed reconnaissance, ground attack, fire support, anti-armor, or anti-aircraft missions. Much of the airframe and components designed for the A come from the popular Agusta A civilian helicopter. The collaboration eventually fell apart over different design philosophies, and the Chinese took the project on their own. The WZ first flew in and is in service now. It has a host of cutting edge technologies onboard, including an awe-inspiring electronics warfare package.

Also of note is the smaller and lighter Chinese Harbin Z Cheyenne Attack Helicopter AH 4. Bell H Sioux 6. Bell UH-1 Iroquois 7. Bell AH-1G Cobra 8. Bell AH-1 SuperCobra 9. Kamov Ka Black Shark Mil Mi Hind Related Article:. Development and History of the Attack Helicopter.

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