Warplanes: Militarized Commercial Helicopters

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March 17, 2015: The UAE (United Arab Emirates) has ordered thirty 407MRH helicopter gunships. This is a militarized version of the American Bell 407 armed with four Hellfire missiles and a machine-gun turret. The Bell 407 is a 2.8 ton commercial helicopter that has been militarized in the U.S. as the ARH-70.

Other countries militarize them on their own Iraq ordered three 407s equipped as gunships (machine-guns and Hellfire missiles and sensors). The 407MRH is different in that it has an all-weather fire control system. The GAU-19 12.7mm machine-gun is stabilized and linked to the fire control system and can fire 1,000-2000 rounds a minute out to 1,800 meters (aimed) and 6,000 meters (max, less accurate the further out). In place of four Hellfire missiles r a larger number of 70mm unguided rockets can be carried as well. As of early 2015 the UAE has already received eleven 407MRHs.

 

 

 

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