Modern Military Helicopters

Explores the technology, combat performance, and mission equipment of all contemporary helicopters in military service as well as those scheduled to come into service in the near future.

Over the past eight decades, developments in vertical lift aircraft—both helicopters and vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) planes—have given the American military unparalleled capabilities on the modern battlefield. The U.S. has led the world in vertical lift technologies with the help of some of the brightest minds in this field—Igor I. Sikorsky, Arthur M. Young, Frank N. Piasecki, Charles H. Kaman and Stanley Hiller, Jr., to name a few—and by having the industrial prowess to make their concepts reality.

Since their introduction, aircraft have become a key aspect of any conflict between nations. Aircraft are used to provide reconnaissance, transportation, airborne radar, electronic jamming, air-to-air combat and of course ground attack. Ground attack is performed by a range of aircraft types encompassing strategic (bombers), tactical bombers (fighter-bombers) and helicopters.