Army Aircraft Icing
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weapon system that can fight close and deep to destroy, disrupt, or delay enemy
forces. Approximately 800 Apaches have entered Army inventories since 1984.
Its principle mission is to destroy high-value targets with the Hellfire missile.
AH-64D Longbow Apache helicopter
The Longbow Apache's mission is to conduct rear, close, and deep opera-
tions; perform deep precision strikes; and provide armed reconnaissance and
security. The Longbow Apache is far more effective in defeating threat armored
vehicles and more survivable in the threat air defense environment than the AH-
64A due to its ability to engage targets in weather and obscurant conditions that
preclude the employment of laser-guided weapons.
CH-47D Chinook helicopter
The Chinook is a tandem-rotor, medium transport helicopter for transporting
weapons, equipment, troops, and other cargo in support of combat units and
operations other than war. The MH-47E helicopter is a special operations variant
of the Chinook, with added fuel capacity, an air-to-air refueling probe and
specialized communications, navigation, avionics, and night-vision subsystems.
OH-58C Kiowa helicopter
The Kiowa is an obsolete Vietnam-era helicopter. It remains in the Army
inventory, mostly in the ARNG.
OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter
The Kiowa Warrior fills the armed-reconnaissance role for attack helicopter
and air cavalry units. It is the only practical, armed-reconnaissance aircraft in the
Army inventory. It is capable of performing reconnaissance, security, command
and control, target acquisition/designation, and defensive air combat missions.
The Kiowa Warrior adds armed-reconnaissance, light-attack, and multipurpose
light helicopter capabilities that permit rapid deployment, troop lift, cargo, and
casualty evacuation to the basic OH-58C Kiowa mission capabilities.
RAH-66 Comanche helicopter
The Comanche will be the Army's next-generation helicopter to perform
the armed-reconnaissance and light-attack helicopter mission, with production
beginning in 2008. The Comanche will perform the armed-reconnaissance
mission for attack helicopter and air cavalry units, significantly expanding the
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