The Army believes there is a critical need for a family of light, fast, highly maneuverable rotorcraft which will be survivable on the future battlefield. The Light Helicopter Family (LHX) will be designed to meet those needs and replace the aging fleet of light helicopters. The LHX is planned to address 36 of the 39 light fleet material deficiencies outlined in the Aviation Mission Area Analysis. Senior Army leaders maintain they are not committed to the LHX program until it is shown that the LHX can meet expectations. However, in other echelons with the Army, support for the program appears to be building. The advantages offered by the LHX are numerous and attractive. According to the Army, existing light helicopters-the UH-1, the AH-1, the OH-58, and the OH-6-need replacement as they are getting too old to support and their performance falls short of what the Army sees as demanded by the modern battlefield. If the LHX program meets all its goals, it would offer a new fleet of light helicopters whose performance met the needs of the modern battlefield, whose operation and support costs would be nearly half those of the fleet being replaced, and whose average flyaway costs in 1984 dollars would be $5.3 million per aircraft.


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    Title :

    Weapon Systems: Issues Concerning the Army's Light Helicopter Family Program


    Publication date :

    1986


    Size :

    16 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English