Warplanes: Militarized Commercial Helicopters

Archives

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.

 

 

 


Article Archive

Warplanes: Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 


X

ad
0
20

Help Keep Us Soaring

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month.

Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage. A contribution is not a donation that you can deduct at tax time, but a form of crowdfunding. We store none of your information when you contribute..
Subscribe   Contribute   Close