Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (2024)


Light Attack / Observation / Transport Helicopter


United States | 1980



"The AH/MH-6 Little Bird has proven something of a versatile God-send to US Army Special Forces troops on more than one occasion."

Authored By: Dan Alex | Last Edited: 10/30/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The AH-6/MH-6 "Little Bird" forms an oft-overlook yet wholly vital part of American Special Operations services. This highly maneuverable and diminutive machine has taken part in both major and minor military operations the world over and has proven something of a lifeline to those ground-based operatives whose very lives depend on the actions of the Little Birds and her trained crews. The Little Bird was introduced in 1980 as a modified form of the Vietnam-era OH-6 Cayuse and has continually seen direct action since her inception.

Little Bird Origins

Little Bird development stemmed from a 1960 US Army requirement looking for a versatile transport and light attack helicopter. This requirement fell under "Technical Specification 153" and itself was part of the US Army's/US Navy's Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. Hughes submitted their Model 369 as one of a dozen firms totaling some 19 design proposals (25 firms were initially solicited). By October of 1961, the US Army, with input from the US Navy, selected three of the designs for further evaluation - these being the Bell D-250, the Hiller Model 1100 and the Hughes Model 369. The US Army liked what it had in the Bell D-250 while the US Navy was interested in the Hiller Model 1100. All three were assigned respective new designations as the YHO-4, YHO-5 and YHO-6 and constructed as five evaluation prototypes. Flight testing occurred at Camp Rucker, Alabama. All systems were later redesignated under the new DoD system in 1962 as the YOH-4, YOH-5 and YOH-6.

The Bell YHO-4 was eventually eliminated from contention to which the Hiller YOH-5 and Hughes YOH-6 were left to battle it out. Ultimately, Hughes was awarded the production contract in 1965 and the YOH-6 now became the OH-6A "Cayuse". An initial order for 714 production systems was later increased to 1,300. In civilian form, the OH-6 was marketed as the Hughes 500, to which several military forms were developed for export - the first of these becoming the Hughes 500M to Columbia.

Production Labeling

Original production fell under the Hughes Helicopters, Incorporated banner but McDonnell Douglas' purchase of Hughes in 1984 forced a renaming of the brand to McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company. In 1985, the company was renamed yet again as McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. In 1997, McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing Company. Boeing proceeded to sell the civilian portion of the helicopter line to MD Helicopter Holdings, Incorporated. In 2005, Patriarch Partners LLC bought the company and reinvented it as the independent MD Helicopters, Incorporated.

The New Requirement

By 1980, the need for a lightweight, easily transportable helicopter system to be crewed by specially-trained personnel operating as a part of the special forces was realized. The OH-6A was evolved into a specialized form to be known as "Little Bird". Select pilots were trained and soon placed into the newly-formed 160th Aviation Battalion (aka "Night Stalkers"). Two Little Bird forms were then developed - one to assist in transporting a small group of operatives into and out of hot zones (the MH-6) and another to support such actions in a light attack role (the AH-6).

Little Bird Walk-Around

The external appearance of the Little Bird is as utilitarian as it gets. The design is dominated by the large bubble-type framed glass cockpit that allows for excellent visibility out of the two-man cockpit. The cockpit resides just forward of a small crew cabin area (MH-6) with placement for up to 6 combat-ready operatives on "bench" type seating along the outboard sides of the cabin fuselage. Rear of that is the housing for the powerplant. The powerplant consists of a single Allison-brand T63-A-5A or T63-A-700 series turboshaft engine rated at 650 full horsepower and powering a five- or -six blade main rotor (depending on the model) as well as a two- or four-blade tail rotor. The main rotor sits atop the fuselage on a short mast while the tail rotor is set to the portside of the aircraft off of the slender and short tail section. The tail is characterized by the complex "T" style assembly made up of a single vertical tail fin topped by a horizontal plane, itself affixed with two small vertical planes. The engine exhaust port, though typically fitted above the tail section in most other helicopters, actually sits under the empennage base in the Little Bird. The weight of the entire aircraft when on the ground is displaced across two rudimentary skids braced in two locations. The skids serve the Little Bird well in providing a handy step area for operatives hitching a ride. Little Birds are commonly painted over in black to reflect their clandestine operation suite.

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Performance

Performance specifications from the single engine allow the Little Bird a top speed of 175 miles per hour with a cruise speed of 155 miles per hour. Her range is listed at 267 miles with a service ceiling of 18,700 feet and a rate-of-climb equaling 2,061 feet per minute. Internal fuel is reported at 62 US gallons. Operating weight is 1,509lb with a maximum takeoff limit of 3,100lb. When completely "clean", the Little Bird weighs in at a respectable 1,591lb. Its size and weight make it a relatively easy transportable system when moved via the existing American aircraft transports on hand.

Armament

Perhaps the most important versatile facet of the light attack version of the Little Bird is its use of two lightweight universal mounts to either side of the fuselage, allowing the nimble system to make use of several potent weapon options made up of gun pods, rocket pods and guided missiles. The Little Bird can mount a single M230 series Chaingun or the7.62mm M134 Minigun and the 12.7mm GAU-19 heavy caliber Gatling-type machine gun as pairs. The Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher is also an option, no doubt based on operating experiences from gunships used over Vietnam. For rocket delivery, the Little Bird makes use of a pair of standard 7-shot, 2.75-inch, Hydra 70 rocket pods. For anti-tank/anti-armor defense, the Little Bird is cleared for use with the Hellfire or TOW anti-tank guided missile systems. Additionally, the helicopter can make use of the Stinger short-range, air-to-air missile self-defense against low-flying enemy aerial targets.

Duty Calls

The Little Bird was first used in a combat environment during the 1983 Invasion of Grenada. Pilots maneuvered their Little Birds from bases within Barbados to the island nation of Grenada, Their misison primarily revolved around the evacuation of the injured personnel during Operation Urgent Fury. These Little Birds were flown in from the 'States via Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and operated from land and sea bases once in the region. 1983 also saw the Little Bird placed into clandestine operations in support of the contras, with these aircraft flying in to Nicaragua from bases within Honduras. Several Little Birds of the 160th were used in pre-invasion actions during Operation Just Cause in late1989. Both MH-6s and AH-6s were used to good effect in actions that eventually contributed to the capture of General Manuel Noriega.

Black Hawk Down

Perhaps the best known use of the Little Bird was in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. MH-6 models were used to shuttle Delta Force operatives into action during the operation. AH-6 gunship counterparts provided fire support to both Delta Force and Army Ranger elements attempting to reach one of the Blackhawk crash sites. In the ensuing action, the crew of a MH-6 succeeded in rescuing two injured US service personnel by landing near one of the crash sites - one crewmember left the aircraft on foot with the other supplied suppressive fire with his automatic weapon from the cockpit of the awaiting helicopter. Though the Battle of Mogadishu brought about a rather dark moment in the history of the American military, one cannot gloss over the level of sheer self-sacrifice that drove all personnel involved in the operation to do what they did for one another. Little Birds worked tirelessly throughout the night to keep Mohammad Farrah Aidid's cronies at bay. On a related note here is that several AH-6 Little Bird models returned to Somalia in September of 2009 and successfully killed terrorist Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan.

More Recent Actions

MH-6s and AH-6s have continually operated throughout Iraq since the 2003 invasion began. Be it fire support or rescue operations, the mighty little helicopters and their expertly-trained crews have been responsible for the safety of numerous personnel including foreign contractors and friendlies. The much-publicized rescue of US Army Private Jessica Lynch was made possible through the actions of armed AH-6 Little Birds.

Little Bird Variants

From its OH-6 Cayuse roots, the Little Bird has itself evolved into several useful and equally-capable battlefield variants. The AH-6C is a special forces attack model and is essentially an OH-6A modified to carry weaponry with use by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment known as the "Night Stalkers". An electronic warfare/aerial command post variant exists as the EH-6E while the MH-6E is used to designate an improved attack/transport model. The AH-6F, AH-6G and MH-6H are all Special Forces attack and transport-capable platforms. The J-model (AH-6J/MH-6J) represents a new form with improved GPS, FLIR and engine systems and is based on the MD 530MG model. Likewise, the AH-6M and MH-6M is based on the MD 530 commercial series and are improved variants of the AH-6J and MH-6J models respectively. These have been heavily modified for Special Forces use and are sometimes noted as the "Mission Enhanced Little Bird" (or MELB).

Little Birds have also been modified into slightly-smaller, crew-less UAV models in the AH-5X and MH-6X forms (also known as the "Unmanned Little Bird" or ULB). This program is currently (as of 2009) evaluating the Little Bird airframe as a remotely-piloted casualty evacuation platform that sports two identifiable "casualty crates", each with a listed weight limit of 300lbs. These compartments are situated along each fuselage side. Tests have been promising and have included the use of 200lb dummies within these crates to simulate human weight. Ready-crews await the incoming ULB and spring in to action to assist the wounded once the helicopter has safely landed.

The only operator of the Little Bird remains the United States Army and the FBI hostage rescue team.

As an aside, the LOH program was later opened once more in 1967. This next round of evaluation produced the Bell OH-58 "Kiowa" light helicopters for the US Army.

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August 2014 - It was announced by the US DoD that Boeing was formally awarded a $234,700,000 contract for the production and deliver of 24 AH-6I ("International") helicopters for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is on order for 36 of the helicopters.

December 2018 - The AH-6i remains a contender in the Australian light reconnaissance helicopter requirement. Some fifteen helicopters are sought for the requirement for the Army service.

December 2018 - Chile is considering the AH-6i, the Bell Model 407, and the Airbus Helicopters H145M for its eight-strong light helicopter requirement. These would succeed the in-service, though aging, MD530F models in same role for the Chilean Air Force.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Boeing MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation / Transport Helicopter.

1 x Allison T63-A-5A OR T63-A-700 turboshaft engine developing up to 650 horsepower while driving a six-blade main rotor and a 4-blade tail rotor.
Propulsion

175 mph
282 kph | 152 kts
Max Speed

18,701 ft
5,700 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

267 miles
430 km | 232 nm
Operational Range

2,061 ft/min
628 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Boeing MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation / Transport Helicopter.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

32.2 ft
9.80 m
O/A Length

27.2 ft
(8.30 m)
O/A Width

9.8 ft
(3.00 m)
O/A Height

1,592 lb
(722 kg)
Empty Weight

3,100 lb
(1,406 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation / Transport Helicopter .

Mission-specific ordnance can include any of the following combinations across two mounting stations (AH-6):

1 x 30mm M230 Chaingun / automatic cannon.
2 x 7.62mm M134 Miniguns.
2 x 12.7mm GAU-19 Gatling guns.
2 x M261 7-shot rocket pods (2.75" Hydra 70 rockets).
2 x AGM-114 "Hellfire" Anti-Tank, Guided-Missiles (ATGMs).
2 x TOW ATGMs.
2 x "Stinger" short-range, air-to-air missiles.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird family line.

AH-6C - Special Forces Attack; based on the OH-6A Cayuse.
EH-6E - Aerial Command Post; electronic warfare
MH-6E - Improved Transport Model.
AH-6F - Special Forces Attack Model.
AH-6G - Special Forces Attack Model.
MH-6H - Special Forces Transport Model.
AH-6I ("International") - Saudi Arabia export model based on the AH-6S.
AH-6J - Improved Variant; updated engine, GPS and FLIR system; based on MD 530MG; attack model.
MH-6J - Improved Variant; updated engine, GPS and FLIR system; based on MD 530MG; transport model.
AH-6M - Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB); highly modified form; attack model.
MH-6M - Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB); highly modified form; transport model.
AH-6S "Phoenix" - Proposed light attack model for US Army's Armed Aerial Scout (AES) program.
AH-6X ULB ("Unmanned Little Bird") - UAV development based on the civilian MD 530F model; attack model.
MH-6X - UAV development based on the civilian MD 530F model; transport model.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 40 Units

Contractor(s): Hughes / McDonnell Douglas / Boeing / MD Helicopters - USA

[ Malaysia; Saudi Arabia; United States ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 200mph

Lo: 100mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (175mph).


Graph Average of 150 MPH.

Era Crossover

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (6)

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (7)

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (8)

Production Comparison

40

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

1 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (9)

Front underside right view of an unarmed Littlle Bird helicopter

2 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (10)

Front left side view of an armed AH-6 Little Bird on display; note rocket pods

3 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (11)

Front underside right view of an incoming MH-6 Little Bird with full passenger compliment; note side benches for seating

4 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (12)

Front left side view of an MH-6 Little Bird in flight

5 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (13)

Close-up detail view of the front left side of an AH-6 Little Bird; note dual rocket and minigun armament

6 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (14)

Rear right side view of a passing AH-6 Little Bird helicopter; note minigun and rocket armament

7 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (15)

A flight of four Little Bird helicopters

8 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (16)

A full Little Bird helicopter comes in for a landing

9 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (17)

An Unmanned Little Bird undergoing evaluation; note side casualty crates

10 / 10

Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (18)

Rear left side view of an Unmanned Little Bird on display


Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

GROUND ATTACK

CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT

AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING

TRANSPORT

RECONNAISSANCE

SPECIAL FORCES

UNMANNED

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Going Further...
The Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation / Transport Helicopter appears in the following collections:

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Boeing (Hughes) AH-6 / MH-6 Little Bird Light Attack / Observation (2024)

FAQs

Does 160th still fly little birds? ›

The choice fell on the OH-6A, which became known as the Little Bird and was later modified in the two variants AH-6 and MH-6. The 160th SOAR is now equipped with both MH-6 transport variant and AH-6 attack variant of the Little Bird, which took part in almost all major U.S. operations since the 1980s.

How much does the Little Bird attack helicopter cost? ›

Boeing funded the development program itself; it intends to market the aircraft for both military and homeland security roles within the U.S. and internationally. The aircraft is estimated to cost US$2 million.

What is the smallest attack helicopter? ›

MH-6 Little Bird.

What is the civilian version of the Little Bird? ›

"The Little Bird" Helicopter

It's part of an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters based on the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the U.S. Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach. Known for flying at high speeds while maintaining the ability to perform maneuvers, the MD-500D can land virtually anywhere.

Does 160th SOAR see combat? ›

They employ highly modified Chinook, Black Hawk and assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. Soldiers of the 160th have been actively and continuously engaged in the combat operations since October 2001.

How much do you get paid in the 160th SOAR? ›

Special Forces soldiers can make between $4,400 and $72,000 to re-enlist, depending on rank, length of contract and special skills. Some helicopter maintenance and crew members in the 160th SOAR can make between $2,600 and $36,800.

How long can a little bird helicopter fly? ›

Unmanned Little Bird H-6U technical specifications
Rotor Diameter27.5 ft. (8.38 m)Max Speed
Ceiling20,000 ft. (6,100 m)Empty Weight
Useful Payload1,200 lb. (544 kg) manned, 1,400 lb. (635 kg) unmannedCommand Link
Electrical Power11 kW at 28 VdcCommand and Control
EnduranceAbout 6 hoursMission Planning
1 more row

What is replacing the little bird helicopter? ›

It has been rumored that the US Army's 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment's (the “Night Stalkers”) planned MH-6 “Little Bird” replacement will be designated the MH-6R. Formerly referred to as the MELB-X, this news comes from reporting at the UK's 2024 International Military Helicopter Conference.

What helicopter is known as the Widowmaker? ›

Furnished with rotors at the end of each wing, the aircraft takes off and lands like a helicopter but relies on its fixed wings to go the distance during flight. For this reason, some consider the Osprey the best of both worlds in aviation — others call it “the widow maker.”

What's the hardest helicopter to fly? ›

The Apache is known for being a monster of an aircraft and one of the most complex helicopters in the Army's inventory to learn. It has the highest flight hour requirements, with pilots flying over 140 hours annually.

Does the army still fly little birds? ›

Elite aviation within the US military's Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will continue flying the ageing Boeing A/MH-6 Little Bird multi-role helicopter for the foreseeable future.

What is the nickname of the AH-6 Little Bird? ›

The Boeing MH-6M Little Bird (nicknamed the Killer Egg) and its attack variant, the AH-6, are light helicopters used for special operations in the United States Army.

What weapons are on the Little Bird helicopter? ›

The AH-6J attack helicopter, features a more powerful engine and improved avionics. The AH-6J can be armed with two seven-tube FFAR rocket launchers and two 7.62mm M134 'miniguns'.

Does the US Army still use little birds? ›

U.S. Special Operations Command has relied on versions of the A/MH-6 Little Bird helicopter for decades. But while the commercial-turned-military aircraft has received a series of upgrades to keep flying, it will struggle to keep up with the formation in the coming years.

Is the Little Bird worth it in Jailbreak? ›

It's highly recommended to use the Little Bird for robbing the Cargo Ship due to it's small size and overall quick speed for an aerial vehicle (Which makes it harder for the Missiles from the Cargo Ship to hit you).

What is the new helicopter in the 160th SOAR? ›

MH-6 Little Birds belonging to the U.S. Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), better known as the Night Stalkers, are now flying in a multi-tone blue camouflage scheme, as seen during recent deck landing training with a U.S. Navy destroyer.

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