Introduction Support Training Other Aircraft (Military)

Offering unparalleled war-fighting capabilities, the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior delivers the goods on the bad guys. Combat-proven world-wide, in long-range day and night target acquisition, this warrior-lookout claims multiple armaments. With characteristic low infrared and acoustic signatures, as well as multi-purpose quick-change kits, the Kiowa can be armed and ready to fight less than 10 minutes after off-load from a C-130.

Weapons Capability

Universal weapons pylons offer quick-change selection of the helicopter's diverse weapons systems. Each of the helicopter's two pylons can be armed with any of the following:

• Hellfire and anti-tank missiles
• Hydra 70 rockets
• Air-to-air Stinger missiles
• .50-caliber machine gun

Survivability & Crashworthiness

Like no other armed reconnaissance helicopter in the world, the OH-58D survives combat with a countermeasure suite, which includes:

• Infrared seeker jammer
• Pulse and CW radar warning receivers
• Laser warning detectors
• Inherent infrared suppression

Mast-Mounted Sight

The mast-mounted sight enables the Kiowa Warrior to fight both day and night, at the maximum range of its weapons systems - and with minimum exposure. The aircraft remains concealed during all but a few seconds of an autonomous engagement, making it considerably more survivable than gunships with nose-mounted sensors.

Systems inside the mast include:

• High-resolution TV camera for long-range, low-light target detection
• IR thermal imaging sensor for navigation, target acquisition at night or under obscured conditions
• Laser rangerfinder for precise target location and guidance of armament
• Boresight assembly for quick in-flight sensor alignment

Engine Transmission and Rotor

The Kiowa's power train gives the speed, lift and maneuverablilty needed to endure battlefield conditions. Standard on the OH-58D are:

• 458 kw (650 shp) Allison turbine, proven on Bell's commercial model 206 LongRangers, which have amassed tens of thousands of flight hours
• "Ruggedized" transmission with a transient power capability of 475 kw (637 hp)
• Four-bladed main rotor system with all-composite, lifetime rotorblades capable of surviving shell hits up to .50 caliber

Cockpit Electronics

The OH-58D features:

• Video recorder for storing TV and thermal imagery from mission
  + Cockpit playback capability
• Data transfer system with data-loading module for pre-mission storing of navigation waypoints and radio frequencies
• Night vision goggle flight reference symbology display
• Have-Quick UHF and SINCGARS FM anti-jam radio
• Displays to align and fire weapons systems