The Kiowa Helicopter Served Its Country Well
There are approximately 375 Kiowa Helicopters in operation today. In 2007, the Kiowa in service to the United States Army had logged 300,000 combat hours. The OH-580 Kiowa Warrior are reconnaissance helicopters which are armed to go on trips for the purpose of scouting and attacking missions. These are double-bladed and single engine helicopters which can be used as cargo carriers for supplies. They are also used to transport casualties. The Kiowa Helicopters can slip in as many as six troops on missions for security purposes. The mechanic crew, known as, crew chiefs, are very proud of the job they do in the repair of the Kiowa Warriors. When necessary, they will struggle through treacherous conditions to repair these helicopters nd keep them going. There is the name of a crew chief which has been painted on the Kiowa n\and that person has the responsibility to perform maintenance duties, as they are needed, on their particular helicopter. Although there has been sand found on the radios, some of the scrambling devices, and switches the Kiowa’s engines withstand the problem due to the type of filtering system used. Due to damage and worn conditions many of these helicopters are waiting for an overhaul. The army depots are loaded with these aircraft. The Kiowa Helicopters have a Mast-Mounted Ball located over the rotor. This enables the helicopter pilot to view targets in the dark while performing surveillance on them and filming them. The Kiowa Warrior OH-580 has excellent fighting ability when it comes to warfare. It can spot a target by day or by night. The helicopter can be ready for battle in no time. It can take less than ten minutes to change the Kiowa to a war machine after it leaves the C-130 used to transport it. The aircraft has two pylons which are capable of being armed with any of these selections: a 50 caliber machine gun, and hydra 70 rackets. It is a one of a kind reconnaissance helicopter which includes a countermeasure system with a laser warning device, an infrared seeker jammer, and CW radar warning receivers. For service in the United States Army, the OH Kiowa Warrior Helicopter is being replaced by the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter. In 2005, Bell Helicopter – the maker of the OH Kiowa – was given a contract for the production of 368 helicopters which are to be delivered from 2006 through 2013.
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