This Modern Era Helicopter Reaches NASCAR-Level Top Speeds

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• We used data from a catalog of military helicopters from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide.
• Two of the most iconic helicopters from the Vietnam War were the Bell AH-1 Cobra and the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse.
• Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

Helicopter gunships are incredible multitaskers, bringing attack and transport capabilities together. They are able to transport troops, equipment, and even vehicles, all while offering heavy firepower. The Vietnam War revolutionized aerial combat and is often referred to as the “Helicopter War.” Prior to this war, helicopters were primarily used for reconnaissance, transport, and evacuation. However, in Vietnam, helicopters became essential for navigating the country’s treacherous terrain. Rather than confining armies to linear battlefronts, helicopters allowed soldiers to be deployed deep in enemy territory to launch surprise attacks.

Two of the most iconic helicopters from the Vietnam War were the Bell AH-1 Cobra and the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse. The Cobra was a heavily armed attack helicopter that used firepower to clear the way for landing zones and transport. It also provided close gun support to ground troops in need. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a scout helicopter that flew close to the jungle canopy in search of enemy activities. Heavily armed, the helicopter flew so low to the ground that pilots could see footprints in the dirt.

To identify the gunship helicopters of the modern era, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of military helicopters from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ordered these helicopters chronologically. We also included supplemental information from the Military Factory regarding the type of helicopter, year introduced, country of origin, manufacturer, top speed, and armament.

Why We’re Writing About Gunship Helicopters

There is much that we can learn from an in-depth look at gunship helicopters since WWII. Gunships are complex and extremely powerful machines with incredible weaponry, aerodynamics, and piloting techniques. Countries around the world spend billions of dollars on national defense, which often includes gunship helicopters. The innovation, purchasing, and use of gunship helicopters affect a nation’s economy and often reflect its global position.

Here is a look at the gunship helicopters of the modern era:

H-19 Chickasaw

• Type: Multirole transport utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1950
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 101 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm medium machine guns, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, rocket pods

Mil Mi-4 (Hound)

• Type: Multirole utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1953
• Country of origin: Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
• Top speed: 115 mph
• Armament: Rocket pods, conventional drop bombs

H-21 Workhorse

• Type: Tandem-rotor transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1953
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Piasecki Helicopter / Boeing
• Top speed: 127 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns

H-34 / CH-34 Choctaw

• Type: Close-support / transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1954
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 173 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm M60C general-purpose machine guns, rocket pods

Alouette II

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1957
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
• Top speed: 115 mph
• Armament: Anti-tank guided missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes

UH-1 Iroquois (Huey)

• Type: Multirole/utility / attack/transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1959
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 137 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Mk 44/46 torpedoes, rocket pods, various air-to-surface missiles, various anti-tank missiles, automatic cannons, 12.7mm GAU miniguns

Alouette III

• Type: Light multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1960
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
• Top speed: 130 mph
• Armament: 20mm cannon, 7.62mm machine gun, AS.11 anti-tank missiles, Mk 44 torpedoes

SH-3 Sea King

• Type: Anti-submarine warfare helicopter
• Year introduced: 1961
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 166 mph
• Armament: Mk 44 / 46 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, depth charges, 7.62mm machine guns

UH-1B/C Huey Cobra / Frog

• Type: Gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 1962
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 95 mph
• Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, miniguns, rocket pods, 40mm automatic grenade launcher

Model 207 (Sioux Scout)

• Type: Light-armed scout helicopter
• Year introduced: 1963
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 109 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm M60 machine guns, SS 10 anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods

Z-5

• Type: Transport/utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1965
• Country of origin: China
• Manufacturer: Harbin
• Top speed: 130 mph
• Armament: Machine guns, rocket pods, machine gun pods

Mil Mi-2 (Hoplite)

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1965
• Country of origin: Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Mil Helicopter Plant
• Top speed: 124 mph
• Armament: 23mm automatic cannons, rocket pods, anti-tank guided missiles, air-to-air missiles

Mil Mi-8 (Hip)

• Type: Multirole medium-lift helicopter
• Year introduced: 1967
• Country of origin: Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: Rocket pods, Swatter missiles, Sagger missiles, Phalanga missiles, 12.7mm machine gun, cannon pods

Model 212

• Type: Medium-lift utility/transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1968
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 140 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, rocket pods

SA 330 Puma

• Type: Medium transport/assault helicopter
• Year introduced: 1969
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
• Top speed: 170 mph
• Armament: Machine gun pods, cannon pods

Bo 105 (MBB)

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1970
• Country of origin: Germany
• Manufacturer: Airbus Helicopters
• Top speed: 152 mph
• Armament: HOT / HOT2 anti-tank missiles, TOW anti-tank missiles

SA342 Gazelle

• Type: Lightweight multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1973
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
• Top speed: 165 mph
• Armament: HOT anti-tank missiles, Mastra Mistal missiles, rocket pods, 7.62mm machine guns, 20mm GIAT autocannon

Mil Mi-24 (Hind)

• Type: Armed assault gunship/attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1973
• Country of origin: Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
• Top speed: 208 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 23mm/30mm cannons, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, machine gun pods, cannon pods, conventional drop bombs

AW109

• Type: Multirole utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1976
• Country of origin: Italy
• Manufacturer: Leonardo
• Top speed: 177 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, TOW anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, machine gun pods

S-76

• Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1977
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 180 mph
• Armament: Machine gun pods, rocket pods, cannon pods

AW159 (Lynx / Super Lynx)

• Type: Multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1978
• Country of origin: United Kingdom
• Manufacturer: Leonardo-Finmeccanica
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, 20mm automatic cannon, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, 7.62mm general purpose machine guns

UH-60 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1979
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, GAU-19 12.7mm Gatling guns, M134D Gatling guns, FFAR rocket pods

Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H)

• Type: Medium-lift transport/gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 1981
• Country of origin: Soviet Union
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine gun pods, rocket pods, Shturm-V missiles

AS532 (Super Puma / Cougar)

• Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1982
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale / Airbus Helicopters
• Top speed: 170 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm gun pods, rocket pods, AM 39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, air-to-surface missiles

AS565 Panther

• Type: Multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1985
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
• Top speed: 190 mph
• Armament: GIAT M621 20mm automatic cannon, rocket pods, AS 15 anti-ship missiles, HOT anti-tank missiles, 20mm cabin-mounted cannons, Mk 46 torpedoes

PZL W-3 Sokol

• Type: Multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1985
• Country of origin: Poland
• Manufacturer: PZL-Swidnik
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: 23mm autocannon, rocket pods, missiles, cannon pods, 12.7mm machine guns

H125 Fennec (AS550)

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1990
• Country of origin: France
• Manufacturer: Aerospatiale / Airbus Helicopters
• Top speed: 152 mph
• Armament: 20mm GIAT M621 automatic cannon, 12.7mm machine gun pods, 7.62mm machine gun pods, rocket pods, TOW anti-tank missiles

MH-60L DAP

• Type: Special Forces gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 1990
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
• Top speed: 103 mph
• Armament: 30mm M230 chain gun, Hydra rocket pods, GAU-19 gun pods, M134 minigun pods, Hellfire missiles, Stinger missiles

Z-9 (Haitun)

• Type: Medium-lift transport/gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 1994
• Country of origin: China
• Manufacturer: Harbin
• Top speed: 190 mph
• Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, cannon pods, rocket pods, machine gun pods

CH-146 Griffon

• Type: Multirole utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1995
• Country of origin: Canada
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm C6 machine guns, 7.62mm Dillon Aero M134D miniguns

Z-11

• Type: Multirole light utility/attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1998
• Country of origin: China
• Manufacturer: Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation
• Top speed: 173 mph
• Armament: CS/LM12 minigun, 40mm automatic grenade launcher, machine gun pods, air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs

AW101 Merlin (EH101)

• Type: Medium-lift / multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 1999
• Country of origin: Italy
• Manufacturer: Leonardo
• Top speed: 192 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, rocket pods, depth charges

Dhruv (Polaris)

• Type: Multirole medium-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 2002
• Country of origin: India
• Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
• Top speed: 174 mph
• Armament: Anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, torpedoes, depth charges, anti-ship missiles

Mil Mi-35 (Hind-E)

• Type: Heavy assault gunship/attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 2005
• Country of origin: Russia
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
• Top speed: 193 mph
• Armament: 23mm twin-barreled cannons, air-to-surface missiles, anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, cannon pods

UH-1Y Venom (Super Huey)

• Type: Medium-lift utility/transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 2009
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 190 mph
• Armament: Hydra rocket pods, M240D general purpose machine guns, 12.7mm GAU-16/A Gatling guns, 7.62mm GAU-17/A Gatling guns

Mil AH-2 Sabre (Mi-35M)

• Type: Assault gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 2010
• Country of origin: Brazil
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
• Top speed: 193 mph
• Armament: 23mm twin-barreled gun, air-to-surface missiles, anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, cannon pods, machine gun pods

Rudra (ALH-WSI)

• Type: Gunship / Multirole military helicopter
• Year introduced: 2012
• Country of origin: India
• Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
• Top speed: 180 mph
• Armament: 20mm M621 cannon, Helina anti-tank missiles, MBDA air-to-air missiles, rocket pods, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes

KUH-1 Surion

• Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 2013
• Country of origin: South Korea
• Manufacturer: Korea Aerospace Industries
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods

AW149

• Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
• Year introduced: 2015
• Country of origin: Italy
• Manufacturer: Leonardo-Finmeccanica
• Top speed: 173 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, rocket pods

Z-20

• Type: Multi-mission military helicopter
• Year introduced: 2018
• Country of origin: China
• Manufacturer: Harbin
• Top speed: 171 mph
• Armament: General-purpose machine guns

V-280 Valor

• Type: Tiltrotor technology demonstrator
• Year introduced: 2020
• Country of origin: United States
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Top speed: 265 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, 20mm cannon

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