List of United States military helicopters

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A Boeing AH-64 Apache, an attack helicopter United States military aircraft

* Active aircraft

* Future aircraft
* All aircraft

* Airships
* Airborne early warning aircraft
* Anti-submarine aircraft
* Bomber aircraft
* Attack aircraft
* Command and control aircraft
* Electronic warfare aircraft
* Experimental aircraft
* Fighter aircraft
* Patrol aircraft
* Reconnaissance
* Tankers
* Trainers
* Transport aircraft
* Utility aircraft
* Military helicopters
* UAVs

* v
* t
* e

This is a list of United States military helicopters.

Name  | Role  | Manufacturer  | Notes  | Year of first flight  | Introduction  | Number built

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Platt-LePage XR-1 | Experimental helicopter  | Platt-LePage Aircraft Company | First helicopter tested by the USAAF.[1] | 1941  | Never  | 2
Sikorsky R-4 |  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | World's first large-scale mass-produced helicopter and the first helicopter used by the United States Army Air Forces.[2] | 1942  | Unknown  | 131
Sikorsky H-5 |  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  |  | 1943  | 1945  | 300
Sikorsky R-6 |  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  | World War II  | 1943  | 1945  | 225
Kellett R-8 | Experimental helicopter  | Kellett Autogiro Corporation | Prototype. Program canceled 1946.  | 1944  | Never  | 2
Bell H-13 Sioux | Light observation helicopter  | Bell Aircraft Corporation | Bell 47 variant.  | 1945  | 1946  | 2407
Bell H-12 | Military utility helicopter  | Bell Aircraft | Company Model 48 | 1946  | Never  | 13[3]
Kellett XR-10 | Military transport helicopter  | Kellett Autogiro Corporation  | Prototype. Program canceled 1949.  | 1947  | Never  | 2
Sikorsky S-52 | Utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  |  | 1947  | 1951  | 93
Kaman HH-43 Huskie | Firefighting/rescue  | Kaman Aircraft |  | 1953  | 1958[4] | 193
Piasecki HUP | Utility helicopter  | Piasecki Helicopter | The « Army Mule ».  | 1948  | 1949  | 339
Hiller OH-23 Raven | Multipurpose light helicopter  | Hiller Aircraft |  | 1948  | 1950  | 2000
McCulloch MC-4 | Light helicopter  | McCulloch Aircraft Corporation | Evaluated by the United States Army as the YH-30 and the United States Navy as the XHUM-1.  | 1948  | Never  | Unknown
Sikorsky H-19 | Utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  |  | 1949  | 1950  | 1102
Vertol H-21 | Cargo helicopter  | Piasecki Helicopter |  | 1952  | 1954  | 707
American Helicopter XH-26 Jet Jeep | Experimental tip jet

observation helicopter

| American Helicopter |  | 1952  | Never  | 5
Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave | Assault Transport  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  | Large heavy lift helicopter used by the Army designated "Mojave" and Marines nicknamed "Deuce"  | 1953  | 1956  | 153
Cessna CH-1 Skyhook | Light helicopter  | Cessna | Only helicopter ever built by the Cessna Aircraft Company.  | 1953[5] | 1956  | ~50
De Lackner HZ-1 Aerocycle | Experimental rotorcraft  | de Lackner Helicopters | Prototype. Program canceled.  | 1954  | Never  | 12
Sikorsky H-34 | Anti-submarine warfare helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  |  | 1954  | 1954  | 2108
Bell 201 | Experimental helicopter  | Bell Aircraft |  | 1954  | Never  | 1
Bell UH-1 Iroquois | Utility helicopter  | Bell Aircraft | The UH-1 was in the service of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Nicknamed the "Huey" because the original Army designation was HU-1.  | 1956  | 1959  | >16,000
Hughes TH-55 Osage | Light utility and trainer helicopter | Hughes Helicopters | Model 269/Model 300  | 1956  | Never  | 2,800
Sikorsky S-62 | SAR/utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | It was used by the United States Coast Guard.  | 1958  | 1961  | 175
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King | ASW/SAR/utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | used as the official helicopters of the President of the United States Marine One | 1959  | 1961  | 1500
Sikorsky S-61R | Medium-lift transport/SAR helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  | The S-61R served in the United States Air Force and in the United States Coast Guard.  | 1959  | 1961  | Unknown
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite | Anti-submarine warfare helicopter  | Kaman Aircraft |  | 1959  | 1962  | 184
Boeing CH-47 Chinook | Transport helicopter  | Boeing |  | 1961  | 1962  | 1180
Sikorsky CH-54 | Heavy-lift cargo helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation |  | 1962  | 1964  | 105
Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight | Cargo helicopter  | Boeing | From 2004, Used only by the United States Marine Corps until 2015 retirement.  | 1962  | 1964  | 524
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse | Light Observation Helicopter / Utility  | Hughes Helicopters | Won a prototype run off between Bell, Hiller and Hughes. The Bell prototype went on to become the OH-58. The OH-6 itself is the parent of the MD 500 and MH-6 variants.  | 1963  | 1966  | 1420
MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird | Light Observation Helicopter  | MD Helicopters | Derived from OH-6 lineage; used for special operations in the United States Army.  | 1963  | 1980  | ?
Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion | Heavy-lift cargo helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation |  | 1964  | 1966  | 500
Bell AH-1 Cobra | Attack helicopter  | Bell Helicopter Textron | Was developed by Bell as an independent concept armed helicopter. The majority of parts are interchangeable with the UH-1 series. The AH1-W and Z are used in the US Marine Corps | 1965  | 1967  | 1116
Bell 206 | Multipurpose Utility helicopter  | Bell Aircraft Corporation | Common prototype with OH-58.  | 1966  | 1967  | 7300
Bell OH-58 Kiowa | Observation/scout helicopter  | Bell Aircraft Corporation | Five versions: OH-58A, OH-58C, OH58C/S, OH-58D, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior  | 1966  | 1969  | 2200
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey | Utility helicopter | Bell Textron |  | 1969  | 1970  | Unknown
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne | Attack helicopter  | Lockheed Corporation | Prototype. Program canceled 1972.  | 1967  | Never  | 10
Sikorsky MH-53 | Heavy-lift helicopter | Sikorsky Aircraft | U.S. Air Force variant of the CH-53.  | 1967  | 1968  | 72
Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion | Heavy-lift cargo helicopter | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation |  | 1974  | 1981  | ~170[6][7][8]
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | Utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Black Hawks have served in combat during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East.  | 1974  | 1979  | 2600
Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk[9] | Combat Search and Rescue helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | This is another variant of the U.S. Army's UH-60 Blackhawk.  | 1974  | 1982  | 101
Bell YAH-63 | Attack helicopter  |  | Bell Model 409.

Particaped in the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) competition. Lost to the YAH-64.

| 1975  | Never  | 3
Boeing AH-64 Apache | Attack helicopter  | Boeing | Manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas after buyout of Hughes Helicopters.  | 1975  | 1984  | 1174
MD 500 Defender | Light multi-role helicopter  | MD Helicopters | Based on the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse light utility helicopter. Originally developed by Hughes Helicopters. Purchased by McDonnell-Douglas, eventually sold to MD Helicopters.  | 1976  | 1976  | 471
Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk | Multimission maritime helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk variant.  | 1979  | 1984  | Unknown
Sikorsky HH-60H | U.S. Navy Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk variant.  | Unknown  | 1982  | 112
Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin | Search and rescue helicopter  | Aérospatiale Helicopter Corporation

American Eurocopter

| Used by the United States Coast Guard | 1980  | 1985  | 102
Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite | ASW helicopter  | Kaman Aircraft |  | 1985  | 1993  | Unknown
Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche | Reconnaissance and attack helicopter  | Boeing/Sikorsky | Prototype. Program canceled 2004.[10] | 1996  | Never  | 5
Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota | Utility helicopter | Eurocopter | Adapted from the Eurocopter EC145 and built in Columbus, Mississippi.  | 1999  | 2006[11] | 250
Bell AH-1Z Viper | Attack helicopter | Bell |  | 2000  | 2010  | 229
Bell UH-1Y Venom | Utility helicopter  | Bell Aircraft Corporation | The UH-1Y Venom is currently in full-rate production to replace the UH-1N Twin Huey | 2001  | 2008  | 92
Boeing AH-6 | Light attack/reconnaissance helicopter  | Boeing Rotorcraft Systems |  | ULB: September 8, 2004

MELB: September 20, 2006

| In development  | Unknown
Bell ARH-70 Arapaho | Armed reconnaissance helicopter  | Bell Aircraft Corporation | Prototype. Program canceled 2008.[12] | 2006  | Never  | 4
Piasecki X-49 | Experimental high-speed compound helicopter  | Piasecki Helicopter | Prototype under development.  | 2007  |  | 1
Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel | Executive transport helicopter  |

* Lockheed Martin

* AgustaWestland

* Bell Helicopter (assembly)

| Variant of the AgustaWestland AW101 designed to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One presidential transport fleet.

In January 2005, the US101 was selected for the VXX Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, and was promptly re-designated as the VH-71. However, development was subject to delays, cost overruns, and engineering issues.

| 2007  | Canceled  | 9
X2 | Experimental compound helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft / Schweizer Aircraft |  | 2008  | Never  | 1
Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion | Heavy-lift cargo helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation  | Developed from the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion.

| 2015  | 2022[13] | 9
Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot | Medium-lift transport/utility helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft  | Developed to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. presidential transport fleet. It is a militarized variant of the Sikorsky S-92.  | 2017  | In development  | Unknown
Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant | Compound helicopter  | Sikorsky Aircraft / Boeing | Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing entry for the United States Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. Army selected the rival Bell V-280 Valor as the winner of the program.  | 2019  | Never  | ?

## See also

[edit]

* List of U.S. military equipment named for Native Americana
* U.S. DoD aircraft designations table
* List of military aircraft of the United States

## Notes

[edit]

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) did not exist until September 1947. Therefore the Sikorski R4 of 1942 "notes" indicate USAF. Possibly it was meant to be USAAF (U.S. Army Air Force).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Platt-LePage XR-1 | National Air and Space Museum". Retrieved 2024-02-03.
2. ^ "Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly". National Museum of the United States Air Force™. Retrieved 2024-02-03.[dead link]
3. ^ Pelletier 1992, p. 92.
4. ^ Kaman HH-43B Huskie, National Museum of the United States Air Force, 15 July 2017.
5. ^ Harding, Steve. U.S. Army aircraft since 1947: An Illustrated Directory. Stillwater, MN:Specialty Press, 1990. ISBN 0-933424-53-1
6. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion". Naval Technology. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
7. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion Heavy-Lift Helicopter". Airforce Technology. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
8. ^ "CH-53E Super Stallion". United States Navy. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
9. ^ Susan Young, Gallery of USAFF weapons – 2008 USAF Almanac, Air Force Magazine, May 2008.
10. ^ Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche, militaryaviation.eu.
11. ^ "UH-72 | Airbus U.S." 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
12. ^ ARH70 Arapaho, helicopassion.com, 7 December 2010.
13. ^ "CH-53K King Stallion". Navair. Retrieved 2023-12-08.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Andrade, John M. (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials Since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 978-0-904597-22-6.
* (in French) Philippe Poulet et Frédéric Ogeret, La fabuleuse histoire de l'hélicoptère, Éditions Mission Spéciale, 2007, 312 p. ISBN 978-2-916357-14-0
* (in French) Ouvrage collectif, L'Atlas des hélicoptères, Éditions Atlas, Éditions Glénat, 2002, 240 p. ISBN 2-7234-3368-4

## External links

[edit]

* 2012 Gallery of USAF Weapons[usurped] includes numbers and types of USAF aircraft
* United States Navy Fact File page includes links to Fact File pages for USN manned and unmanned aircraft.
* United States Army 2010 Weapons System Handbook (PDF file, 41.6 mb) includes pages describing USA manned and unmanned aircraft.
* United States Coast Guard Aircraft and Cutters page includes links to descriptive pages for USCG manned and unmanned aircraft.

* v
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United States helicopter designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–present; U.S. Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; U.S. Navy 1962–present

Army/Air Force sequence
(1941–1962)|

| Prefix R-, 1941–1948|

* R-1
* R-2
* R-3
* R-4
* R-5
* R-6
* R-7
* R-8
* R-9
* R-10
* R-11
* R-12
* R-13
* R-14
* R-15
* R-16

|

Prefix H-, 1948–1962|

* H-5
* H-6
* H-9
* H-10
* H-11
* H-12
* H-13
* H-13J
* H-15
* H-16
* H-17
* H-18
* H-19
* H-20
* H-21
* H-22
* H-23
* H-24
* H-25
* H-26
* H-27
* H-28
* H-29
* H-30
* H-31
* H-32
* H-33
* H-34
* H-35
* H-361
* H-37
* H-381
* H-39
* H-40
* H-41
* H-42
* H-43
* H-441
* H-451

Tri-Service sequence
(1962–present)|

| 1962 redesignations|

* H-13
* H-13F
* H-13J
* H-19
* H-21
* H-23
* H-25
* H-34
* H-37
* H-43

|

New designations|

* H-46
* H-47
* H-48
* H-49
* H-50
* H-51
* H-52
* H-53
* CH-53/E/K
* HH-53/MH-53
* H-54
* H-55
* H-56
* H-57
* H-58
* H-59
* H-60
* UH-60
* SH-60
* HH-60
* MH-60
* H-61
* H-62
* H-63
* H-64
* H-65
* H-662
* RAH-66
* TH-66
* H-67
* H-68
* H-691
* H-70
* H-71
* H-72
* H-73

Alternate sequence|

* H-1
* AH-1/J/T/W/Z
* UH-1/N/Y
* H-2
* H-2G
* H-3
* CH-3/HH-3
* SH-3
* H-4
* H-5
* H-6
* AH-6
* MH-6
* OH-6

Non-sequential|

* H-90
* H-92
* CH-92/VH-92
* H-101
* H-139

1 Not assigned  • 2 Assigned to multiple types

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Helicopters and other rotorcraft

Helicopters|

| Articles|

* Amphibious
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|

Lists|

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Other
rotorcraft|

| Articles|

* Autogyro
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|

Lists|

* Rotorcraft
* Manufacturers by country
* Most-produced
* Used in World War II

Hazards|

* Mast bumping and other hazards
* Dynamic rollover
* Ground resonance
* Loss of tail-rotor effectiveness
* Low-g condition
* Retreating blade stall
* Dynamic stall
* Vortex ring state
* Servo transparency
* Tailstrike

Related|

* Bamboo-copter
* Cyclogyro
* Helicopter height–velocity diagram
* Helitack
* Human-powered helicopter
* Ingenuity Mars helicopter
* Mars Sample Retrieval Helicopters
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* Transverse flow effect

* Aviation portal
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United States Armed Forces

Legend
A = Army
MC = Marine Corps
N = Navy
AF = Air Force
SF = Space Force
CG = Coast Guard

Leadership|

* President of the United States
* Secretary of Defense
* Deputy Secretary of Defense
* Secretary of Homeland Security
* Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
* Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Chairman
* Vice Chairman
* Committees on Armed Services
* Senate
* House
* Active duty four-star officers
* Active duty three-star officers
* United States military seniority
* National Security Act of 1947
* Goldwater–Nichols Act

Components|

| Military departments|

* Department of Defense
* Secretary
* Department of the Army
* Secretary
* Department of the Navy
* Secretary
* Department of the Air Force
* Secretary
* Department of Homeland Security
* Secretary

|

Service branches
and heads|

* Chief of Staff of the United States Army
* Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Chief of Naval Operations
* Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
* Chief of Space Operations
* Commandant of the Coast Guard

Reserve components|

* Reserves:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* National Guard:
* A
* AF

Civilian auxiliaries|

* Military Auxiliary Radio System
* Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary
* Merchant Marine
* Civil Air Patrol
* Coast Guard Auxiliary

Unified combatant
command|

* Africa
* Central
* European
* Indo-Pacific
* Northern
* Southern
* Space
* Cyber
* Special Operations
* Strategic
* Transportation

Structure|

* United States Code
* Title 10
* Title 14
* Title 32
* Title 50
* The Pentagon
* Installations
* Units:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Logistics
* Media
* Unit mottoes

Operations
and history|

* Budget
* Current deployments
* Conflicts
* Wars
* Civil affairs

History|

* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Timeline|

* Colonial
* World War II

Demographics|

* African Americans
* Asian Americans
* Buddhist Americans
* Jewish Americans
* Muslim Americans
* Sikh Americans
* Hispanic Americans
* Civil War
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Marine Corps
* Navy
* Academy

History centers|

* Army Center of Military History
* Marine Corps History Division
* Naval History and Heritage Command
* Air Force Historical Research Agency

War artists|

* Army Art Program
* Air Force Art Program

Personnel|

| Training|

* Service academies:
* A (prep)
* MC/N (prep)
* AF/SF (prep)
* CG
* Merchant Marine
* ROTC
* A
* MC/N
* AF/SF
* Officer candidate/training school:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF/SF
* Warrant officer:
* A
* MEPS
* ASVAB
* The Basic School (MC)
* Enlisted recruit training:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF/SF
* CG
* Other education

|

Uniforms|

* Uniforms:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Awards & decorations:
* Inter-service
* A
* MC/N
* AF/SF
* CG
* Foreign
* International
* Devices
* Badges:
* Identification
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Ranks|

* Officer:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Warrant officers
* Enlisted:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Other|

* Oath:
* Enlistment
* Officer
* Creeds & Codes:
* Code of Conduct
* NCO
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* Service numbers:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG
* Military Occupational Specialty/Rating/Air Force Specialty Code
* Pay
* Uniform Code of Military Justice
* Judge Advocate General's Corps
* Military Health System/Tricare
* Separation
* Veterans Affairs
* Conscription
* Chiefs of Chaplains:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* CG

Equipment|

* A (Designations)
* MC:
* vehicles
* weapons
* other
* N
* AF
* CG

| Land|

* Individual weapons
* Crew-served weapons
* Vehicles (active)

|

Sea|

* All watercraft
* Ships:
* A
* N
* active
* future
* AF
* CG
* MSC
* Weapons:
* N
* Reactors

Air|

* Aircraft
* World War I
* active
* future
* Aircraft designation
* Helicopter arms

Other|

* WWII equipment
* Nuclear football
* Electronics (designations)
* Flags:
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Ensign
* Jack
* Guidons
* Food
* WMDs:
* Nuclear
* Biological
* Chemical

* Category
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG
* Navboxes
* A
* MC
* N
* AF
* SF
* CG

Portal:

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