Deadliest Tech (2012) s01e02 Episode Script
Helicopters
1 Narrator: THEY'RE THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST WEAPONS THAT HOVER FROM ABOVE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ABSOLUTE KILLING MACHINE.
Narrator: STALKING THEIR PREY FROM MILES AWAY AND KILLING WITH PINPOINT PRECISION.
YOU ARE BASICALLY A FLYING TANK.
Narrator: WE'RE GOING INSIDE A PILOT'S HELME AS TERRORIST THREATS ARE ELIMINATED FROM TWO MILES OUT, AND EXPOSING NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE STEALTH CHOPPER THAT FLEW S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM SIX TO BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND.
PREPARE FOR AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY AND AWESOME ATTACK HELICOPTERS THAT ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF THE BATTLEFIELD ON "DEADLIEST TECH.
" CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS AFGHANISTAN, 2009.
FROM TWO MILES AWAY, AN APACHE ATTACK HELICOPTER STALKS SEVERAL ARMED INSURGENTS MOVING THROUGH A POPULATED RIVER VALLEY.
USING A FLIR, OR FORWARD-LOOKING INFRARED CAMERA, TO TRACK THEM, THE APACHE PILOT WAITS TO ATTACK UNTIL THE INSURGENTS MOVE AWAY FROM INNOCENT CIVILIAN HOMES.
[ GUNFIRE .]
[ GUNFIRE .]
THE APACHE CREW ELIMINATES THE INSURGENT THREA WITH BRUTAL EFFICIENCY.
AND THIS IS THE HELICOPTER THAT DID IT, THE APACHE LONGBOW.
THE MOST ADVANCED, MOST LETHAL ATTACK HELICOPTER TO EVER STALK THE SKIES.
IF IT'S HUNTING YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY DEAD.
Pearce: THE SENSORS ALLOW US TO STAND OFF 6 TO 8 Ks, WELL OUTSIDE OF THE ROTOR NOISE, SO WE CAN SEE THE ENEMY, AND THEY CAN'T HEAR US.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WE'RE THERE, UNLESS WE WANT THEM TO.
Hallion: WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE APACHE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ABSOLUTE KILLING MACHINE.
THE HELICOPTER BRINGS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THE BATTLEFIELD.
THAT'S ITS ABILITY TO STAY CLOSE TO THE TROOPS THAT IT'S PROTECTING, TO LOITER.
IT CAN REMAIN OUT OF SIGHT, AND WITHOUT THE ENEMY EVEN KNOWING IT, SUDDENLY POP OUT OF NOWHERE, FIRE OFF AN INCREDIBLY LETHAL WEAPON, LIKE A HELLFIRE MISSILE, AND THEN BE GONE.
Narrator: CAPABLE OF ANNIHILATING TARGETS FROM MILES AWAY, THE APACHE'S TWO 1,700 HORSEPOWER TURBINE ENGINES CAN ALSO RUN THEM DOWN, HITTING SPEEDS OF UP TO 180 MILES PER HOUR.
AND WHEN IT COMES TIME, THE APACHE'S LETHAL ARSENAL IS UNRIVALED BY ANY OTHER ATTACK HELICOPTER.
Luttrell: THIS AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE M-230.
THIS IS OUR 30-MILLIMETER CANNON.
THIS THING CAN PUMP ROUNDS DOWN RANGE ABOUT 600 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
Narrator: THE APACHE'S 30-MILLIMETER CANNON CAN RIP RIGHT THROUGH ENEMY TROOPS AND LIGHT ARMORED VEHICLES.
[ GUNFIRE .]
WHEN ENGAGING FORTIFIED TARGETS, THE APACHE DEPLOYS ONE OF ITS 100-POUND HELLFIRE MISSILES.
Luttrell: WE CAN EQUIP OUR AIRCRAF WITH ABOUT FOUR OF THESE HELLFIRE MISSILE LAUNCHERS, WHICH GIVES US ABOUT 16 HELLFIRES PER AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO DESTROY SOVIET TANKS DURING THE COLD WAR, THE LASER-GUIDED HELLFIRE WAS REFITTED TO UNLEASH DEVASTATING FIREPOWER IN SUPPORT OF GROUND OPERATIONS.
Luttrell: ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE ABOUT I IS ITS PRECISION CAPABILITY.
IT'S GONNA GO WHERE YOU POINT THE LASER.
ONCE THAT TARGET IS DESIGNATED BY THE LASER, THAT HELLFIRE MISSILE IS GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO THE LASER AND NOTHING ELSE.
THAT WAY, YOU ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE AN ACCURACY, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HIT ANYTHING ELSE WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO IT.
Narrator: AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S DAY OR NIGHT.
IF THE APACHE WANTS TO REACH OUT AND KILL SOMETHING, THERE'S NO ESCAPING ITS WRATH.
USING ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS CURRENTLY IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, THE REAR GUNNER CAN EMPLOY MULTIPLE CAMERAS, HEAT SENSORS AND LASERS.
WITH EACH HELLFIRE COSTING APPROXIMATELY $60,000, IT'S CRITICAL THAT EACH SHOT HITS ITS TARGET.
Luttrell: WHAT MAKES THIS THING MOST LETHAL IS ITS ABILITY TO FIND THE ENEMY.
WITH A CO-PILOT GUNNER, WE'VE GOT THE TARGET ACQUISITION DESIGNATOR, AND THIS AIDS HIM IN FINDING TARGETS.
SO HE'S GOT ATV CAMO, AND IN THE CLEAR CAMO, WHICH WOULD LOOK FOR COLOR DISPARITY IN A THERMAL REALM.
MAN: He's got something right across his lap there, Sir.
May be those weapons.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Hallion: YOU CAN SEE MOVEMENT AT A DISTANCE, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE THAT YOU'RE AROUND THEM.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THEM.
YOU CAN STUDY THEM, AND THEN YOU CAN TARGET THEM.
IT'S PART OF THAT WHOLE FIND, FIX, TRACK, TARGET, ENGAGE, ASSESS LOOP THAT WE HAVE, THE KILL CHAIN THAT YOU APPLY WITH ITS FORCES.
Narrator: THE INNOVATIVE TARGETING SYSTEM ENABLES THE APACHE TO DOMINATE THE BATTLEFIELD.
CASE IN POINT, AFGHANISTAN, 2009.
INSURGENTS ATTEMPT TO PLACE AN IED IN THE ROADSIDE IN FRONT OF A COALITION CONVOY.
THE APACHE HAS THEM IN ITS SIGHTS.
Perry: THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE COMING.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME WE'RE COMING.
WE WANT TO FIND THEM WHEN THEY'RE MOST VULNERABLE.
WE WANT TO FIND THEM IN THE ACT.
SO WE HAVE CONTINUOUS EYES ON THE OBJECTIVE AND THE TARGET.
THAT, TO US, IS THE GOAL.
Narrator: THE APACHE'S 30-MILLIMETER CANNON'S TARGETING SYSTEM MAKES IT EVEN EASIER TO ANNIHILATE THE ENEMY.
ONCE A TARGET IS ACQUIRED, IT APPEARS IN BOTH THE PILOT AND THE CO-PILOT'S HELMET DISPLAY VISOR.
Luttrell: INSIDE EACH CREW STATION, WE'VE GOT WHAT WE CALL AN INTEGRATED HELMET AND IHADSS.
AND WHAT THE IHADSS DOES IS IT USES I.
R.
DETECTORS TO SENSE WHERE THE PILOT IS LOOKING.
SO AS I TURN MY HEAD, THAT SENSOR IS LOOKING TO THE RIGHT.
AS I TURN TO THE LEFT, IT LOOKS TO THE LEFT.
IT'S CONSIDERED A WEAPON SIGHT BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTION THE GUN.
THE GUN WILL ALSO FOLLOW THE LINE OF SIGHT OF THE HELMET.
Narrator: ATTACHED TO THE PILOT'S HELME IS A MONOCLE WITH A CROSSHAIR DISPLAYED.
IT'S LINKED TO THE HELICOPTER'S WEAPONS SYSTEMS.
ALL THE GUNNER HAS TO DO IS LOOK AT A TARGET, LAY THE CROSSHAIRS ON IT, AND FIRE HIS WEAPON OF CHOICE.
Hallion: WHAT THIS DOES IS IT REALLY FREES HIM UP.
HE LOOKS, HE SEES, HE OBSERVES, AND THE INFORMATION HE NEEDS TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK IS RIGHT THERE WITH HIM.
PRETTY MUCH LOOK AND PULL THE TRIGGER, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ROUNDS ARE GONNA GO.
Luttrell: IT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FEELING TO BE ABLE TO JUST LOOK LEFT OR RIGH AND ENGAGE TARGETS WITH THE 30-MILLIMETER WHILE YOU'RE FLYING IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
Narrator: DESPITE ALL OF THIS OVERWHELMING TECHNOLOGY, THE APACHE STILL HAS ONE MORE SECRET WEAPON -- ITS CUTTING EDGE BLACK HOLE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM MASKS THE ENORMOUS HEAT SIGNATURE PUT OFF BY ITS POWERFUL ENGINES, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE MAKE IT VULNERABLE TO HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES.
THE SECRETIVE BLACK HOLE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM REDUCES THE HEAT SIGNATURE OF THE HELICOPTER BY TAKING THE HOT EXHAUST GASSES GENERATED BY THE ENGINES AND MIXING IT WITH THE COOLER AIR OUTSIDE, THEN FORCING IT THROUGH A SPECIAL FILTER TO VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE THE HEAT SIGNATURE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
BUT WHEN THE APACHE GETS IN CLOSE TO THE FIGHT, IT'S USUALLY HOVERING VULNERABLY IN RANGE OF ENEMY GUNS, SO DESIGNERS HAVE LINED THE APACHE WITH A VIRTUAL ARMORED BATH TUB.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ARMOR THAT'S ALL AROUND THE COCKPI IN VARIOUS CRITICAL PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
IT'S IN THE SIDES OF THE COCKPITS.
IT'S IN THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPITS.
AND IT'S ALSO IN THE SEAT, IN THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM, AND AROUND THE SIDES OF THE SEATS SO IT PROTECTS THE PILOTS.
IT'S ALSO IN CRITICAL AREAS LIKE YOU SEE HERE, THIS SIDE PANEL.
Narrator: MADE OF KEVLAR AND HIGHLY CLASSIFIED COMPOSITE MATERIALS, THE APACHE'S EXTERIOR ARMOR CAN STOP A .
50 CALIBER ROUND DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL TEST COUPON WHERE WE FIRED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE FIRED AT THE SHOT A .
50 CALIBER ROUND, HIT THIS.
WHILE THE ARMOR BULGED ON THE BACK SIDE, IT DID NOT ALLOW PENETRATION.
THEREBY, IT DID NOT FAIL, AND THE CREW WOULD HAVE SURVIVED A SHOT IN THE ARMOR LIKE THIS.
Narrator: EVEN THE GLASS PANELS THAT SURROUND THE COCKPI ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND REINFORCED TO WITHSTAND ENEMY ATTACK.
I'M SITTING IN THE PILOT STATION OF THE A-64 APACHE.
IN FRONT OF ME IS A CO-PILOT STATION.
IN BETWEEN US IS THIS TRANSPARENT ARMOR.
THE REASON FOR THA IS, IN CASE WE TAKE A ROUND INTO THE CO-PILOT STATION, IT DOESN'T FRAGMENT INTO THE PILOT STATION.
AND IF WE TAKE A ROUND IN THE PILOT STATION, IT DOESN'T FRAGMENT INTO THE CO-PILOT'S STATION.
Narrator: THE PROTECTIVE GLASS BETWEEN PILOT AND COCKPI CAN WITHSTAND ROUNDS OF UP TO 23 MILLIMETERS.
THIS IS WHERE THE FRAGMENT WOULD ENTER THE GLASS.
THIS IS THE SIDE THAT, WHERE THE PROTRUSION COMES OUT OF.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, A ROUND GOES THROUGH, IT FRAGMENTS TO THE POIN WHERE IT GETS CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE LAYERS, AND THE FRAGMENTS ARE CONTAINED INSIDE OF THIS GLASS, THEREBY NOT ALLOWING PENETRATION OR DAMAGE TO EITHER THE PILOT OR CO-PILOT.
IT ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT OR CONTINUE TO FLY.
Narrator: AND THE APACHE'S FUEL TANK, ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE SPOTS ON ANY HELICOPTER, IS SPECIALLY PROTECTED AGAINST ATTACK.
WE'RE INSIDE THE APACHE, WHERE THEY INSTALL THE FUEL TANK RIGHT HERE.
BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUSELAGE IS THIS BALLISTIC FOAM.
THIS BALLISTIC FOAM IS ACTUALLY PAINTED IN.
IT IS A DENSE PACK FOAM, SO IF A ROUND IS TO HIT IT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S SOFT, BUT IT ACTUALLY SLOWS THE ROUND DOWN.
WHERE THE KEVLAR BLANKE IN BETWEEN THE FOAM AND THE FUEL TANK WOULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE MORE BALLISTIC PROTECTION.
Narrator: IF A ROUND WERE TO PENETRATE THE FOAM AND KEVLAR BLANKET AND ENTER THE FUEL TANK, DESIGNERS HAVE CLEVERLY DEVISED A COUNTERINTUITIVE SOLUTION.
THIS IS A BALLISTICALLY SELF-SEALING TANK.
WHICH MEANS, A .
50 CALIBER ROUND COULD GO INTO IT, AND THE RUBBER IS STILL RAW, WHICH IT CLOSES THAT HOLE.
INSIDE, THERE IS INERTING GAS, SO IT WILL NOT START A FIRE, EITHER.
Narrator: BEING ARMED AND ARMORED TO THE TEETH EQUALS WEIGHT, SO THE APACHE UTILIZES FOUR MAIN ROTORS TO GIVE IT THE EXTRA LIFT AND POWER IT NEEDS TO BRING THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY.
IN THE RARE INSTANCE WHEN THE MIGHTY APACHE DOES TAKE A HIT, ITS DESIGN INNOVATIONS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND A CRASH.
Luttrell: EACH CREW STATION SEA WILL COMPRESS TO ABSORB THE IMPACT.
THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WILL COMPRESS ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
Schmitman: THE APACHE WAS DESIGNED TO BE A REVOLUTIONARY AIRCRAFT.
IT HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO EVOLVE AND SUCCEED AT THE CHALLENGES OF THE MORE MODERN ERA.
THE TALIBAN HAVE COME TO FEAR THE APACHE SO MUCH THAT THEY REFER TO IT AS THE MONSTER.
Perry: IT'S NIMBLE.
IT'S AEROBATIC.
IT'S AGILE.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BASICALLY A FLYING TANK CAPABLE OF DELIVERING ORDNANCE AND DESTROYING JUST ABOUT ANY TARGET OUT THERE GIVES YOU A SENSE OF PRIDE AND A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, NO MATTER WHAT ENVIRONMENT OR WHERE YOU'RE FLYING.
TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
Narrator: IT STALKS AND IT KILLS.
THE APACHE IS THE MOST MENACING HELICOPTER EVER BUIL AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPOSE ITS WILL ON ENEMY TARGETS FOR YEARS TO COME.
COMING UP, THE FEARSOME ATTACK HELICOPTER THAT OPERATES HUNDREDS OF MILES AT SEA AND CAN ELIMINATE THREATS BOTH ABOVE AND BELOW THE SURFACE.
Narrator: ATTACK HELICOPTERS BRING A UNIQUE AND DEADLY OPTION FOR GROUND TROOPS ON THE MODERN BATTLEFIELD.
BUT WHEN THE FIGHT IS ON OR UNDER THE WATER, U.
S.
FORCES TURN TO THE MH-60 SEAHAWK, AND NO PREY CAN ESCAPE ITS FURY.
THE SEAHAWK IS THE MOST BADASS MARITIME HELICOPTER IN THE WORLD.
NOT ONLY CAN IT FIND YOU, BUT IT CAN ALSO KILL YOU.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK'S CRITICAL MISSION -- TO SEARCH AND DESTROY THE ENEMY BEFORE IT'S WITHIN RANGE TO THREATEN THE BATTLE GROUP IT'S CHARGED WITH PROTECTING.
Hallion: THE SEAHAWK REALLY GIVES MARITIME FORCES, IN GENERAL, MUCH GREATER BITE.
IF YOU COUPLE AIR REFUELING WITH THE HELICOPTER, YOU GET SOME TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGES, OBVIOUSLY, IN EXTENDING THE RANGE OF THE HELICOPTER AND THE REACH OF THE HELICOPTER, AND THEREBY, THE REACH OF MARITIME POWER AND THE PROTECTIVE SCREEN THAT SURROUND THE SHIPS.
IT'S LIKE YOUR GUARD DOG AROUND THE HOUSE.
Narrator: COMPARED TO OTHER ATTACK HELICOPTERS, THE SEAHAWK DOES MOST OF ITS WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT UNIQUE TO MOST HELICOPTER PILOTS.
Brown: MOST OF THE TIME, WE'RE IN THE OPEN OCEAN WITH JUST A SINGLE SHIP OR TWO OR THREE SHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LANDING PLATFORMS.
IT DOES ADD A LEVEL OF DANGER.
IF WEATHER COMES IN OR ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY, THAT SHIP IS THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE TO GO LAND.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF GOING TO A RUNWAY.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK TACKLES THE CHALLENGE WITH TWO 1,800 HORSEPOWER TURBOSHAFT ENGINES.
THE TWO ENGINES GIVE SEAHAWK PILOTS EXTRA POWER AND REDUNDANCY, ALLOWING THEM TO CONCENTRATE ON KILLING THE ENEMY.
ON THE SURFACE, THAT ENEMY CAN BE ANYTHING FROM WARSHIPS TO EXPLOSIVE-LADEN SPEEDBOATS TO PIRATES.
AND WHEN THE SEAHAWK SPOTS A THREAT, IT'S ARMED WITH AN M-60 MACHINE GUN AND FOUR DEVASTATING HELLFIRE MISSILES TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
SHOOTING A HELLFIRE MISSILE IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
YOU MAKE SEVERAL PRACTICE RUNS IN TRAINING.
WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FINALLY HIT THE BUTTON AND RELEASE THAT ORDNANCE, IT'S LIKE NOTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE, SEEING THAT ROCKET LEAVE THE RAIL.
Narrator: OFTEN PATROLLING OVER OPEN OCEAN FOR HOURS AT A TIME MEANS IT'S CRUCIAL FOR THE SEAHAWK TO BE AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
SO DESIGNERS HAVE LEFT OFF HEAVY ARMOR, RELYING INSTEAD ON CUTTING-EDGE DETECTION CAPABILITIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOT HEAVILY ARMED.
MOSTLY JUST SHEET ALUMINUM ALL THE WAY AROUND, SO WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST NOT TO TAKE ANY FIRE.
TO DO THAT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE BAD GUYS EARLY WITH THIS FLIR, AS WELL AS THE RADAR SYSTEM WE HAVE ON THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: BUT THE SEAHAWK'S MOST CRUCIAL MISSION IS TO FIND AND DESTROY THREATS LURKING BELOW THE SURFACE.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BROWN RECENTLY DEPLOYED TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, WHERE HE AND HIS CREW HUNTED ENEMY SUBMARINES.
Brown: WE LAUNCH IN A STRAIGHT MISSION.
WE ARE ALWAYS ON ALERT.
IT'S SUCH A TIGHT AREA, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY'S GONNA COME FROM.
Hallion: SUBMARINES TODAY ARE VERY QUIET, VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT, AND THEY POSE A VERY DANGEROUS THREAT AGAINST THE BATTLE GROUP.
THEY HAVE TO BE KEPT OUT OF TORPEDO RANGE FROM THAT GROUP.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK IS EQUIPPED WITH 25 SONAR BUOYS, OR SONOBUOYS, WHICH ACT AS STATIONARY UNDERWATER SENTRYS THAT WAIT FOR SUBMARINES TO ENTER A WIDESPREAD AREA.
IN ADDITION TO LOADING THESE BUOYS, HE'S ALSO GONNA BE PROGRAMMING THEM TO CERTAIN DEPTHS, AND THE DEPTH IS BASED ON WHERE WE EXPECT THAT SUBMARINE TO BE.
WHEN THE SONOBUOY LAUNCHES FROM THE LAUNCHER, IT'S LAUNCHED OUT PNEUMATICALLY VIA AIR.
PARACHUTE DEPLOYS, IT DROPS INTO THE WATER, AND WE START HUNTING THE SUBMARINES.
Narrator: ONCE A SONOBUOY HITS THE WATER, IT DEPLOYS AN INFLATABLE RADIO TRANSMITTER, WHICH REMAINS ON THE SURFACE.
LISTENING SENSORS DESCEND BELOW THE SURFACE.
WHEN AN UNDERWATER SENSOR DETECTS THE MECHANICALLY GENERATED SOUND WAVE FROM A SUBMARINE, IT RELAYS THAT SOUND WAVE TO THE SURFACE TRANSMITTER.
THE TRANSMITTER SENDS THE INFORMATION TO AN AIRCRAF OR SHIP IN THE BATTLE FLEET.
SINCE SONOBUOYS REMAIN IN ONE PLACE, THE SEAHAWK ALSO CARRIES A MOVABLE SEARCHING DEVICE CALLED DIPPING SONAR, WHICH CAN BE QUICKLY DEPLOYED TO PINPOINT A KNOWN THREAT IN A VERY SPECIFIC AREA.
Schmitman: THE DIPPING SONAR IS RECEIVING POWER FROM THE HELICOPTER.
IT'S A MUCH MORE POWERFUL, MUCH MORE SENSITIVE SYSTEM, SO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A PRECISION DETECTION OF THAT SUBMARINE, AND THEN MAKE A PRECISION ATTACK, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO USE YOUR DIPPING SONAR.
Narrator: WHEN EITHER SONAR SYSTEM FINDS A SUBMARINE, THE SEAHAWK CAN UNLEASH THREE MARK 46 TORPEDOES.
THE 500-POUND, 8 1/2-FOOT TORPEDO CAN TRAVEL TO A DEPTH OF 1,200 FEET FOR NEARLY SEVEN MILES.
POWERED BY A TWO-SPEED MOTOR, THE MARK 46'S ACOUSTIC HOMING DEVICE SENDS OUT A SOUND PULSE.
WHEN THE SOUND PULSE HITS A SUBMARINE, ITS ECHO RETURNS TO THE TORPEDO, WHICH THEN LOCKS ONTO THE TARGET.
THE TORPEDO THEN TRACKS THE ECHO TOWARD THE TARGE UNTIL DETONATION.
WITH ITS WEAPONRY AND SEARCH TECHNOLOGY, THE SEAHAWK DOMINATES THE MARITIME BATTLE SPACE.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE SEAHAWK'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE MAY BE GETTING BACK ABOARD SHIP.
Hallion: HELICOPTER OPERATIONS COMING ABOARD SHIP ARE VERY DANGEROUS.
THEY'RE A VERY PROPER RISK.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE OLD RUBBER BALL THAT YOU WOULD BOUNCE OFF A PADDLE.
IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, AND YOU DON'T TIME YOUR APPROACH TO THAT SHIP RIGHT, AND YOU'RE IN PITCHING, HEAVING SEAS, YOU CAN BE THAT LITTLE BALL BOUNCED BACK IN THE AIR.
Narrator: ONCE IT'S BACK SAFELY, THE SEAHAWK'S WINGS ARE FOLDED, AND IT'S STORED ABOVE OR BELOW DECK UNTIL THE NEXT CALL TO ACTION WHEN CREW AND CHOPPER WILL BRAVE THE SEAS TOGETHER.
Brown: IN EVERY MISSION WE LAUNCH ON, THE HELICOPTER BECOMES ONE OF THE CREW.
WE DEPEND ON HER TO TAKE US INTO DANGER AND BRING US BACK FROM DANGER SAFELY.
WE TRUST THAT SEAHAWK WITH OUR LIVES.
Narrator: ABOVE LAND AND SEA, ATTACK HELICOPTERS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS.
BUT THAT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.
NEXT UP, THE MILITARY HELICOPTER'S TRANSFORMATION FROM UNARMED TROOP TRANSPORT TO PIONEERING PREDATOR.
Narrator: IN TODAY'S MILITARY, ATTACK HELICOPTERS ARE AN ESSENTIAL WEAPON, DELIVERING FIREPOWER FROM ABOVE OVER BOTH LAND AND SEA.
BUT THE HELICOPTER WASN'T ALWAYS SEEN AS AN ATTACK ASSET.
IN VIETNAM, HELICOPTERS REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY WE TRANSPORT TROOPS WITH THE TURBO-POWERED, UH-1 HUEY.
QUITE POSSIBLY, THE MOST ICONIC MILITARY HELICOPTER OF ALL TIME.
YOU THINK ABOUT VIETNAM AND "APOCALYPSE NOW" OR ANY OF THOSE GREAT MOVIES ABOUT VIETNAM, AND IT'S THE HUEY.
ITS DESIGN WAS PRIMARILY TO BECOME THE ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEW VISION OF CAVALRY, AIR MOBILE.
MOVING MEN AND MATéRIEL INTO NEW AREAS AND FIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: THE VERY NAME "CHOPPER" BECAME COMMON FROM THE HUEY'S DISTINCTIVE "CHOP, CHOP, CHOP" SOUND OF ITS ROTOR BLADES.
[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING .]
A SOUND THAT FILLED THE SKIES DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING .]
DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE WAR, WHEN THE HUEY TRANSPORTED TROOPS TO AND FROM THE BATTLEFIELD, IT WAS ALWAYS UNDER INTENSE FIRE WITHOUT ANY WEAPONS TO DEFEND ITSELF.
Hallion: WE DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE GETTING SO MUCH GROUND FIRE WHEN THEY APPROACHED LANDING ZONES THAT WE NEEDED TO PROVIDE FIRE SUPPORT FROM THE AIR AS THE TROOPS THEMSELVES WERE BEING INSERTED.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THA THAN TO HAVE HUEYS OUTFITTED WITH GUNS? [ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
THIS MACHINE GUN IS A 7.
62-MILLIMETER FIXED MOUNTED MACHINE GUN.
MADE THIS THE FIRST ARMED TROOP-CARRYING HELICOPTER IN VIETNAM.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S 7.
62-CALIBER M-60 MACHINE GUN TORE THROUGH THE JUNGLE CANOPY AT A RATE OF 600 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE HUEY'S ABILITY TO PUT ROUNDS ON THE ENEMY PROVED SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE ARMY DECIDED TO ARM IT WITH EVEN MORE FIREPOWER.
Hallion: FINALLY, THEY REALIZED, YOU KNOW, "MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TAKE SOME OF THESE HUEYS, "INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM CARRY GUNS AS A SIDELINE, "MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TAKE SOME HUEYS AND MAKE THEM INTO GUNSHIPS, WHERE THAT WOULD BE THEIR SOLE PURPOSE.
" [ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: MILITARY BRASS TURNED UP THE HEA BY ADDING 19 70-MILLIMETER ROCKET PODS TO EACH SIDE OF THE HUEY'S AIRFRAME TURNING THE ONCE UNARMED TROOP TRANSPORT HELICOPTER INTO A FORMIDABLE, OFFENSIVE WEAPON.
MAN: Good job.
I saw you splatter one right in the back with a rocket.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S FIREPOWER DELIVERED HOT STEEL ON THE ENEMY.
IT COULD CARRY HEAVY WEIGHTED WEAPONRY BECAUSE IT WASN'T CARRYING HEAVY ARMOR.
THIS THING HAS NO BASIC ARMOR PLATING AT ALL ON IT.
IT'S A VERY THIN-SKINNED AIRCRAFT.
Schmitman: HAD THEY PUT ARMOR PLATING, THAT WAS STATE-OF-THE-ART AT THAT TIME, IT WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY IMPEDED THE UTILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
WHETHER IT WAS OR NOT, AT LEAST PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT WAS.
Narrator: HUEY PILOTS MITIGATED THE DANGER, EXPLOITING THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN STRENGTH -- MANEUVERABILITY.
WHETHER WEAVING IN AND OUT OF THE TREETOPS OR FLYING JUST OUT OF RANGE OF SMALL ARMS FIRE, THE DARING PILOTS SUCCESSFULLY MANEUVERED THEIR WAY TO THE LANDING ZONE.
ONCE IN THE LANDING ZONE, HUEY PILOTS RISKED THEIR OWN LIVES TO PUT GROUND TROOPS AS CLOSE TO THE ACTION AS POSSIBLE.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
WITH EVERY SECOND A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH, HUEY PILOTS OPERATED WITH FOCUSED, SKILLFUL PRECISION TO GINGERLY INSERT TROOPS WITHOUT THE HUEY'S LANDING SKID EVER TOUCHING THE GROUND.
IF YOU WERE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE WOUNDED, WE HAD TWO HANDLES ON THE PILOT'S SEATS.
IN CASE SOMEBODY WAS WOUNDED IN THE SEAT, YOU COULD PULL THOSE HANDLES, ROTATE THE SEAT BACK AND EXTRACT THAT PILOT OUT THIS WAY FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Narrator: FORTUNATELY, JACK McCORMICK RETURNED STATESIDE WITH HIS SEAT STILL UPRIGHT.
HE CREDITS HIS ICONIC CHOPPER, THE HUEY.
Perry: IT'S THE THING THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT IS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PART OF IT, BOTH SIGHT AND SOUND.
IT'S THE AIRCRAFT THAT TOOK ME OUT.
IT'S THE AIRCRAFT THAT BROUGHT ME HOME.
Narrator: ARMING THE HUEY PROVED HELICOPTERS COULD PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN COMBAT, SO DESIGNERS LOOKED TO MAKE THE HELICOPTER EVEN MORE LETHAL.
USING THE HUEY FRAME AND ENGINE AS ITS BASE, THEY ADDED A BRUTAL ARSENAL AND STREAMLINED I INTO THE WORLD'S FIRST TRUE ATTACK HELICOPTER, THE HUEYCOBRA.
IT WAS LETHAL.
IT WAS LOW.
IT WAS HIDDEN.
IT WOULD SNEAK UP ON YOU, AND IT HAD A VENOMOUS BITE.
THE COBRA GUNSHIP WAS LIKE NOTHING ELSE THAT HAD BEEN SEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY MANEUVERABILITY TO TURN AND BANK AND DIVE AND GET IN THERE AND MIX IT UP WITH GROUND FORCE.
Reeder: I LOVED THE COBRA BECAUSE IT WAS A LEAN, MEAN KILLING MACHINE.
TO HAVE THAT KIND OF COMBAT POWER AT THE FINGERTIPS OF A YOUNG MAN IS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, THIS IS ONE BADASS MOFO.
HERE'S WHY.
2.
75-INCH FOLDING-FIN AERIAL ROCKETS COMING AT YOU.
THEY COULD COME AT YOU IN FLIGHT.
THEY COULD COME AT YOU FROM A HOVER.
COMING FORWARD, YOU'VE GOT A 7.
62 GATLING GUN.
THIS GUY JUST SAID, "BRR, BRR, GRR, GRR," AND IT WOULD LAY DOWN SUPPRESSIVE FIRE.
THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT THIS AIRCRAFT.
THEY BASICALLY TOOK A HUEY, AND THEY SQUASHED IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GUY, IT'S 36 INCHES WIDE.
IMAGINE THIS COBRA COMING AT YOU IN FLIGHT.
VERY HARD TO HIT.
IT'S FAST.
IT'LL DO 120 KNOTS WITHOUT BREATHING HARD.
IT'S MOVING, YANKING, AND BANKING, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT OF THE SKY AND PUT FIRE ON.
THE COBRA JUST RULED THE SKIES IN VIETNAM, IN TERMS OF BATTLEFIELD AIR SUPPORT.
Narrator: BILL REEDER SERVED AS A CHOPPER PILOT IN VIETNAM, WHERE HE PUSHED THE COBRA TO PLACES FEW PILOTS HAVE.
Reeder: WELL, THE COBRA, WE COULD TAKE UP AND ON A GUN RUN.
YOU JUST ABOUT TURN IT OVER ON A WING OVER AND COME DOWN AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE, UNLEASHING THE ROCKETS AND MACHINE GUN WEAPON SYSTEMS, AND THEN PULL UP IN A FAIRLY HIGH-G MANEUVER AND COME OUT OF THE GUN WAY.
Narrator: ITS TOP ROTOR GUIDED THE COBRA'S AERIAL ACROBATICS, AND THAT ROTOR WAS HELD IN PLACE BY A COUPLE INCHES OF STEEL.
ON THE TOP OF THE ROTOR BLADE IS A NUT.
WE USED TO CALL IT THE JESUS NU BECAUSE THIS ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS HELD TOGETHER WITH ONE NUT WITH A LITTLE SAFETY SCREW IN THE SIDE OF IT TO KEEP IT FROM ROTATING, BUT THAT ONE NUT HOLDS ON THE ENTIRE ROTOR BLADE.
Narrator: THE COBRA'S AGILITY AND FIREPOWER MADE IT A PERFECT BODYGUARD FOR THE HUEYS.
WHEN COBRA PILOTS NEEDED A POWERFUL WEAPON IN TIGHT SPOTS, THEY RELIED ON THEIR MINI MACHINE GUN.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Reeder: THE MINI GUN COMES DOWN LIKE A STREAM OF LIGHT.
IT'S JUST A RED LINE COMING DOWN FROM THE SKY, AND YOU CAN WALK THAT FIRE AND BRING THAT FIRE RIGHT ONTO THAT ENEMY AND DESTROY HIM.
Narrator: IF THE MINI GUN DIDN'T WORK, THE COBRA HAD ANOTHER WEAPON THAT IT COULD UNLEASH ON THE ENEMY -- TOW MISSILES.
AS THE MISSILE RACED TOWARD THE TANK, IT STEAMED OUT A SMALL WIRE.
YOU WERE CONTROLLING THAT WIRE WITH A LITTLE JOYSTICK ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE MISSILE HIT THE TANK.
Narrator: THE TOW MISSILE WAS CUTTING-EDGE WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY.
BUT THIS WAS BEFORE THE DAYS OF LASER-GUIDED MUNITIONS, SO PILOTS CLEVERLY IMPROVISED A TARGETING SYSTEM.
MOST OF THE PILOTS USED A GREASE PENCIL.
SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, LOOKING THROUGH THE FRONT CANOPY, THERE'D JUST BE A GREASE PENCIL "X" UP ON THE SCREEN OUT THERE, ON THE CANOPY.
AND WHAT THE PILOTS WOULD DO IS MANIPULATE THE AIRCRAF TO PUT THAT CROSSHAIR ON THE TARGET, AND THEY'D FIRE THEIR ROCKETS.
AND THEN, BASED ON WHERE THE ROCKETS IMPACT, THEY WOULD ADJUST THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT ACCORDINGLY TO TRY TO GET CLOSER.
Narrator: DURING THE EASTER OFFENSIVE IN 1972, COBRA PILOTS USED THEIR GREASE PENCILS AND TOW MISSILES TO ANNIHILATE ADVANCING SOVIET-BUILT TANKS AS THEY MENACED SOUTH VIETNAM.
Reeder: WE COULD HIT SPECIFIC TARGETS OFTTIMES BY VERY STEEP DIVE ANGLES, GETTING VERY CLOSE BEFORE WE FIRED THE ORDNANCE, COUPLED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF LUCK THAT THAT ROCKE THEN WENT EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE POINTING I AND HITTING A POINT TARGET.
ONCE THE COBRAS FOUND THE ENEMY, THE COBRAS KILLED THE ENEMY.
Narrator: THE COBRA USHERED IN THE ATTACK HELICOPTER REVOLUTION, BUT FOR PILOTS LIKE BILL REEDER, IT WAS A REVELATION.
Reeder: WHEN I THINK BACK TO THE COBRA, THAT IS THE MOST AWESOME AIRCRAFT I HAVE EVER FLOWN IN.
THE MOST DEMANDING, CHALLENGING, YET AT THE SAME TIME, EXCITING AND REWARDING MISSION.
Hallion: WE ARE 50 YEARS PAST THE TIME WHERE THE COBRA WAS IN ITS HEYDAY, AND EVEN NOW, THE COBRA WOULD BE A DEADLY SYSTEM TO USE IN THE AIR-TO-GROUND WARFARE BECAUSE THE COBRA HAS A BALANCED GROUP OF QUALITIES OF SPEED, ARMOR, AGILITY, FIREPOWER.
IT CAN BRING US ALL AGAINST A FOE AND REALLY, REALLY UPSET A FOE'S MASS.
Narrator: THE SUCCESS OF ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM CHANGED MILITARY TACTICS FOREVER.
COMING UP, THE COBRA AND HUEY'S BLOODLINES LIVE ON IN TWO STATE-OF-THE-ART ATTACK HELICOPTERS.
ONE THAT CAN STRIKE ENEMY AIRCRAFT, AND ANOTHER THAT CAN FIND THE ENEMY USING THE LATEST TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY.
Narrator: ATTACK HELICOPTERS HAVE BEEN EVOLVING FOR NEARLY FIVE DECADES.
FROM THE VIETNAM ERA COBRA CAME THE SUPER COBRAS, A SERIES OF HYBRID CHOPPERS THAT OPERATE IN ANY THEATER.
FROM THE SALTY AIR ENVIRONMENT ABOARD SHIPS AT SEA TO THE SANDY DESERTS OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
AND THIS IS THE LATEST VERSION, THE AH-1Z VIPER, A.
K.
A.
ZULU, ALTHOUGH THE MARINES RESPECTFULLY CALL I THE SUPER COBRA.
IF WE CAN THINK OF THE COBRAS AS A FAMILY, THE COBRAS WERE BASED ON A VERY GOOD IDEA, BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
THEY'VE IMPROVED ON IT CONTINUOUSLY, ADDED NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND IT'S PROVEN ITSELF TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BE AN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE ASSET TO TODAY'S MARINES IN THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: THE LATEST HI-TECH WONDER IN THE COBRA FAMILY BRINGS A LETHAL AND UNPRECEDENTED COMBINATION OF BRAINS AND BRAWN TO THE BATTLEFIELD AT A COST OF $31 MILLION.
Greb: YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE TREATING THE AIRCRAF THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE TREATED, BUT THEN ALSO EXPLORING ITS CAPABILITIES.
Narrator: AND THOSE CAPABILITIES NOW INCLUDE WAGING BATTLE AGAINST OTHER HELICOPTERS AND FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT.
BY ARMING THE SUPER COBRA WITH SIDEWINDER MISSILES, THE MARINES BECAME THE FIRST MILITARY BRANCH WITH A DEDICATED ATTACK CHOPPER THAT HAS AIR-TO-AIR CAPABILITY.
STILL, THE SUPER COBRA'S MAIN MISSION IS ASSISTING GROUND TROOPS.
THAT'S WHEN IT CALLS ON THE OTHER WEAPONS IN ITS STUNNING ARSENAL -- A 20-MILLIMETER GATLING GUN, 70 HYDRA ROCKETS, AND LASER-GUIDED HELLFIRE AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILES.
DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR, SUPER COBRAS USED THEIR FULL ARRAY OF WEAPONRY TO LEAD ONE OF THE MOST LOPSIDED ROUTS IN THE HISTORY OF WARFARE.
IN ONE MISSION ALONE, SUPER COBRAS UNLEASHED HELLFIRE MISSILES ON 60 IRAQI TANKS, TURNING EVERY ONE OF THEM TO RUBBLE.
IN 2003'S OPERATION, IRAQI FREEDOM, MARINE SUPER COBRAS WERE OFTEN TASKED WITH PROVIDING CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
BUT FIGHTING SO CLOSE TO THE ENEMY EXPOSED A VULNERABILITY.
OF THE 58 MARINE COBRAS IN BATTLE, 46 TOOK SOME DAMAGE FROM SMALL ARMS FIRE.
THE MARINE SUPER COBRAS MET THE CHALLENGE WITH A GROUNDBREAKING TARGETING SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PILOTS TO SEE THEIR TARGETS FROM UP TO TEN MILES AWAY, WELL OUT OF RANGE OF ENEMY SMALL ARMS FIRE.
THE KEY COMPONEN IS THE TARGETING SYSTEM'S CAMERA OPTICS.
Schmitman: THE FLIR SYSTEM HAS THE CAPABILITY TO LOOK AT TARGETS THE FARTHEST DISTANCE AWAY OF ANY HELICOPTER OF ITS KIND.
BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE YOU WERE TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH YOUR OWN CAMERA THROUGH A VERY LONG TELEPHOTO LENS.
IT'S HARD TO DO IF YOU WERE HAND HOLDING IT.
BUT THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE ZULU IS SO GOOD, IT CAN STABILIZE THAT CAMERA.
BEING ABLE TO DETECT YOUR TARGETS FROM MORE THAN 20 KLICKS OU AND BEING ABLE TO BUILD YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO THE OBJECTIVE AREA REALLY BUILDS THE SECTION'S ABILITIES TO SUPPORT THE GUY ON THE DECK.
Narrator: WITH THE STEADY IMAGE OF ENEMY TARGETS APPEARING ON THEIR HELMET VISOR, SUPER COBRA PILOTS HAVE A SHARPER AND LONGER VIEW OF THE BATTLEFIELD THAN ANY ATTACK HELICOPTER PILOTS FLYING TODAY.
Greb: YOU CAN FOCUS MORE EXTERNALLY TO THE AIRCRAF AND TO THE OBJECTIVE AREA TO ACHIEVE A MISSION, NOT CONCENTRATE SO MUCH ON FLYING.
IF YOU HAVE A POP-UP ENEMY, HE'S WITHIN RANGE, YOU JUST QUICK DRAW LOOK AT HIM AND SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER, AND YOU'LL BE GOOD TO GO.
Narrator: THE SUPER COBRA'S DUAL ENGINE SYSTEM DRAWS FROM AN ENLARGED FUEL TANK, EXTENDING THE SUPER COBRA'S FLYING TIME TO 2 1/2 HOURS, GIVING IT MORE TIME TO STAY IN THE FIGHT.
ALL COMBINED, THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES INSTALLED ON THE MODERN COBRA CONTINUE TO MAKE IT THE MARINE'S ATTACK HELICOPTER OF CHOICE.
THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE TARGETS OUT TO THE MAX EFFECTIVE RANGE OF OUR ORDNANCE WHILE ALLOWING THE CREW TO REMAIN SAFE, AS WELL AS JUST THE ABILITY TO REMAIN ON STATION LONGER TO SUPPORT THE GRUNTS ON DECK, IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SELLING POINTS WE NEED.
Narrator: ANOTHER UPGRADED VIETNAM CHOPPER IS ALSO REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY WE USE ATTACK HELICOPTERS, THE SUPER HUEY.
WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT AN AIRCRAFT AS OLD AS THE UH-1 WOULD BE RELEGATED TO A PICKUP TRUCK ROLE.
INSTEAD, WE STILL FIND IT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, ARMED AND VERY CAPABLE, PROVING ITSELF TO BE ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE AIRCRAF EVER BUILT.
Narrator: STILL A STALWART TROOP TRANSPORT, THE HUEY IS NOW ARMED TO BE EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE AS AN ASSAULT CHOPPER, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF ITS MINI GUN.
IT'S REALLY AN AWESOME FEELING TO SHOOT THAT MINI GUN.
IT HAS NO RECOIL WHATSOEVER.
YOU'RE LINED UP BEHIND THE GUN.
YOU ENGAGE THAT TARGET, AND YOU WATCH YOUR ROUNDS FALL INTO THAT TARGET.
IT'S AN EXHILARATING FEELING.
STRAPPED IN WITH NOTHING BUT A GUNNER'S BELT.
TO BE ABLE TO GO FLY IN A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AIRCRAF AND SHOOT MACHINE GUNS FROM IT, NOBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD CAN SAY THEY DO THAT.
Narrator: LIKE THE SUPER COBRA, THE SUPER HUEY HAS ADDED POWER WITH A MIGHTY SECOND ENGINE.
THE INCREASED POWER THAT THAT PROVIDES IS JUST A COMPLETE GAME CHANGER.
WHEN YOU GET INTO A SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE YOU DIDN'T REALIZE IT, BUT YOU NEED THE POWER, OR YOU NEED THE AIRSPEED IN A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN TROUBLE, THE HELICOPTER GIVES YOU EVERYTHING IT'S GOT, AND THEN IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
Narrator: THE SUPER HUEY CAN NOW REACH SPEEDS OF 190 MILES PER HOUR, SOME 60 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN THE ORIGINAL.
BUT THE POWER UPGRADES DIDN'T STOP THERE.
THE HUEY'S LIFT CAPACITY HAS ALSO INCREASED WITH ITS NEW AND IMPROVED FOUR-PLATED MAIN AND TAIL ROTORS.
A SYSTEM THAT MAKES IT QUIETER, ELIMINATING THE VERY SOUND IT BECAME KNOWN FOR DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
Schmitman: WITH THE NEW ROTOR, ALTHOUGH WE'VE LOST THE ICONIC "CHOP, CHOP, CHOP" OF THE ORIGINAL UH-1'S TWO-BLADE ROTOR SYSTEM, WE HAVE A MORE DAMAGE-TOLERANT ROTOR SYSTEM THAT'S FOUR-BLADED.
THEY ADDED COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND PERFORMS MUCH, MUCH BETTER IN THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT REDUCES AURAL SIGNATURE, AND YOU CAN GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE FIGH BEFORE THE ENEMY CAN START HEARING AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SKIDS THAT ARE INBOUND.
Narrator: WHILE THE NEW ROTORS MAKE IT HARDER FOR THE ENEMY TO HEAR THE SUPER HUEY COMING, A REVOLUTIONARY OPTICS PACKAGE MAKES IT EASIER FOR PILOTS TO BETTER SEE THE DETAILS OF THE BATTLE SPACE.
Oates: WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN SWITCH FROM FLIR IMAGE TO A STRAIGHT-UP COLOR IMAGE TO BE ABLE TO FIND THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER DURING THE DAY.
TO RECOGNIZE AND IDENTIFY DISTANCES -- THAT ALLOWS US TO STAY A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AWAY FROM A TARGET OR A THREAT.
Narrator: COMBAT PILOTS ARE EVEN USING iPADS WITH ENCRYPTED TECHNOLOGY TO NAVIGATE THE BATTLEFIELD.
Pearce: IT'S VERY QUICK TO FIND THE MAP THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED.
IT'S ALLOWED US TO KEEP A TON OF INFORMATION, A TON OF MAPS ON JUST ONE SMALL, COMPACT DEVICE.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY A SATELLITE IMAGERY THAT SHOWS ALL THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE ON THE GROUND, AND THEN NUMBER EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPOUND.
Narrator: TODAY'S SUPER HUEY -- MORE POWER, MORE FIREPOWER, AND SMARTER THAN EVER.
IT'S A COMBINATION THAT SOLIDIFIES THE HUEY'S PLACE AS THE LIFESAVING ATTACK HELICOPTER THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF ITSELF IN A FIGHT.
IT'S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY, SO THAT THE GROUND GUYS CAN LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.
NEXT, THE TOP SECRET HELICOPTER THAT FEW HAVE EVER SEEN, BUT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE MOST DARING COMMANDO RAID EVER.
Narrator: FROM MISSIONS THAT REQUIRE SPEED AND AGILITY TO OTHERS THAT NEED HEAVY FIREPOWER, ATTACK HELICOPTERS HAVE BECOME A CRITICAL PAR OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.
AND NEVER MORE SO THAN DURING ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST LONG-AWAITED MISSIONS -- THE MISSION TO KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN.
ON MAY 2, 2011, TWO TOP SECRET BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS TRANSPORTED THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM THAT TOOK OUT BIN LADEN.
BUT WHILE TRYING TO LAND INSIDE THE COMPOUND, ONE OF THE BLACK HAWKS CRASHED.
LEFT BEHIND WERE CLUES OF A TOP SECRET ATTACK HELICOPTER LIKE NO OTHER.
STEALTH CONFIGURED SHAPES, NOISE-REDUCING ROTORS, AND RADAR-ABSORBING PAINT -- THE WORLD'S FIRST STEALTH ATTACK HELICOPTER HAD BEEN EXPOSED.
IT HAD SOME SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY ON IT, AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THA WAS HERE WAS A HELICOPTER THAT WAS VERY ADVANCED.
WE NOW KNOW THAT LOW OBSERVABLE TECHNOLOGY IN A ROTORCRAF IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, IT'S DESIRABLE.
HAD ALL THE HELICOPTERS ON THAT MISSION BEEN VISIBLE TO THE PAKISTANI FORCES ON THE WAY IN, I THINK THE RECEPTION THAT THAT TEAM WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN PAKISTAN WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT.
Narrator: THE STEALTH ASPECTS INCORPORATED IN THE BLACK HAWK WERE A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF ATTACK HELICOPTERS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER MAJOR IMPROVEMEN COMING FAST ON THE HORIZON -- SPEED.
THIS IS THE FASTEST HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
THE PROTOTYPE X2 DEMONSTRATOR.
AND THIS IS THE MAN WHO BROKE THE WORLD SPEED RECORD.
Bredenbeck: THE SENSATION OF GOING THAT FAS WAS PRETTY DRAMATIC.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE, THE FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU LOOK OUTSIDE, AND YOU REALIZE THAT YOU BASICALLY CHANGED THE WAY THE HELICOPTER'S GONNA FLY IN THE FUTURE.
Narrator: DURING THIS TEST FLIGHT, THE X2 REACHED AN ASTOUNDING 288 MILES PER HOUR, NEARLY 40 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN ANY HELICOPTER BEFORE IT, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY.
THIS IS THE BUSINESS END OF THE X2, A 6-BLADED RENO RACER PROPELLER THAT PROVIDES OUR THRUST AT HIGH SPEED.
Narrator: THE PUSHER PROPELLER BRINGS ADDITIONAL FORCE TO PROPEL THE HELICOPTER FORWARD, A TASK PERFORMED SOLELY BY THE TOP ROTOR IN CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTERS.
COMBINE THE PUSHER PROPELLER WITH TWO COAXIAL TOP ROTORS AND AN 1,800 HORSEPOWER TURBOSHAFT ENGINE, AND IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THE X2 UP FOR SPEED RECORDS TO FALL.
THIS IS WHERE WE SET THE UNOFFICIAL RECORD OF 250 KNOTS, 288 MILES PER HOUR, AND WE HAD THE CAPABILITY TO EVEN GO FASTER WITH THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: BUT AT SUCH SPEEDS, DESIGNERS FOUND THAT THE ADDED FORCE OUTPACED A PILOT'S ABILITY TO KEEP THE CHOPPER STABLE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK IN HERE, WE HAVE A SIDEARM CONTROLLER, FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL.
Narrator: FLY-BY-WIRE IS A SYSTEM THAT REPLACES HUMAN REACTION TIME WITH THE SPLIT-SECOND RESPONSES THAT CAN ONLY BE GENERATED BY A COMPUTER.
IN A CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTER, PILOTS MUST MANUALLY ADJUST THE VARIOUS ROTOR CONTROLS THAT MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT.
THE FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM TAKES INPU FROM THE HELICOPTER'S CONTROL STICK AND SENDS IT TO A COMPUTER ELECTRONICALLY, VIA WIRES.
THE COMPUTER PERFORMS WITHOUT THE PILOT'S INPU TO AUTOMATICALLY HELP STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT.
WITH THE ADDED SPEED BEING GUIDED BY FLY-BY-WIRE, THE X2 CAN OUTMANEUVER ANY HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
Bredenbeck: YOU LOOK AT THE CAPABILITIES OF THIS HELICOPTER, FROM A MANEUVERABILITY STANDPOINT, FROM AGILITY, TO JUST THE LOW-SPEED MANEUVERING ATTRIBUTES WITH THE PROPELLER, I'M VERY EXCITED OF THE FAC THAT THIS POTENTIALLY IS GONNA BE THE BEST ATTACK HELICOPTER ANYONE HAS EVER SEEN.
Narrator: ENTER THE S-97 RAIDER.
DERIVED FROM X2 TECHNOLOGY, BUT STILL IN THE CONCEPT STAGE.
THE RAIDER IS BUILT TO CARRY SIX SPECIAL OPERATION TROOPS TO THEIR OBJECTIVES QUICKLY, QUIETLY, AND WITH DECISIVE FIREPOWER.
REACHING SPEEDS OF 250 MILES PER HOUR, IT WILL WIELD SEVEN ROCKETS AND A .
50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN.
AND IF IT NEEDS TO, IT WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLY BACKWARDS, ALLOWING IT TO EGRESS WHILE KEEPING ROUNDS ON THE ENEMY.
IN A TYPICAL ATTACK HELICOPTER, YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE TO COME OVER THE TARGET AND BREAK COVER, AND YOU'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GROUND FIRE.
WITH AN X2 S-97 RAIDER, YOU CAN UTILIZE THE PROP AND BACK AWAY FROM THE TARGET AS YOU'RE FIRING WEAPONS UNTIL YOU'RE OUT OF RANGE, AND THEN BREAK COVER.
Narrator: WITH THE S-97 RAIDER, U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES WILL HAVE THE FASTEST ATTACK HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
AND AS ATTACK CHOPPERS BECOME MORE IMPORTAN TO THE EVER-CHANGING BATTLE SPACE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE, WITH EVERYTHING FROM STEALTH CAPABILITY TO RECORD-BREAKING SPEED, TO WEAPON AND TARGETING SYSTEMS, ASSURING THAT U.
S.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE SKIES FOR DECADES TO COME.
WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ABSOLUTE KILLING MACHINE.
Narrator: STALKING THEIR PREY FROM MILES AWAY AND KILLING WITH PINPOINT PRECISION.
YOU ARE BASICALLY A FLYING TANK.
Narrator: WE'RE GOING INSIDE A PILOT'S HELME AS TERRORIST THREATS ARE ELIMINATED FROM TWO MILES OUT, AND EXPOSING NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE STEALTH CHOPPER THAT FLEW S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM SIX TO BIN LADEN'S COMPOUND.
PREPARE FOR AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY AND AWESOME ATTACK HELICOPTERS THAT ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF THE BATTLEFIELD ON "DEADLIEST TECH.
" CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS AFGHANISTAN, 2009.
FROM TWO MILES AWAY, AN APACHE ATTACK HELICOPTER STALKS SEVERAL ARMED INSURGENTS MOVING THROUGH A POPULATED RIVER VALLEY.
USING A FLIR, OR FORWARD-LOOKING INFRARED CAMERA, TO TRACK THEM, THE APACHE PILOT WAITS TO ATTACK UNTIL THE INSURGENTS MOVE AWAY FROM INNOCENT CIVILIAN HOMES.
[ GUNFIRE .]
[ GUNFIRE .]
THE APACHE CREW ELIMINATES THE INSURGENT THREA WITH BRUTAL EFFICIENCY.
AND THIS IS THE HELICOPTER THAT DID IT, THE APACHE LONGBOW.
THE MOST ADVANCED, MOST LETHAL ATTACK HELICOPTER TO EVER STALK THE SKIES.
IF IT'S HUNTING YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY DEAD.
Pearce: THE SENSORS ALLOW US TO STAND OFF 6 TO 8 Ks, WELL OUTSIDE OF THE ROTOR NOISE, SO WE CAN SEE THE ENEMY, AND THEY CAN'T HEAR US.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WE'RE THERE, UNLESS WE WANT THEM TO.
Hallion: WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE APACHE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ABSOLUTE KILLING MACHINE.
THE HELICOPTER BRINGS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THE BATTLEFIELD.
THAT'S ITS ABILITY TO STAY CLOSE TO THE TROOPS THAT IT'S PROTECTING, TO LOITER.
IT CAN REMAIN OUT OF SIGHT, AND WITHOUT THE ENEMY EVEN KNOWING IT, SUDDENLY POP OUT OF NOWHERE, FIRE OFF AN INCREDIBLY LETHAL WEAPON, LIKE A HELLFIRE MISSILE, AND THEN BE GONE.
Narrator: CAPABLE OF ANNIHILATING TARGETS FROM MILES AWAY, THE APACHE'S TWO 1,700 HORSEPOWER TURBINE ENGINES CAN ALSO RUN THEM DOWN, HITTING SPEEDS OF UP TO 180 MILES PER HOUR.
AND WHEN IT COMES TIME, THE APACHE'S LETHAL ARSENAL IS UNRIVALED BY ANY OTHER ATTACK HELICOPTER.
Luttrell: THIS AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE M-230.
THIS IS OUR 30-MILLIMETER CANNON.
THIS THING CAN PUMP ROUNDS DOWN RANGE ABOUT 600 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
Narrator: THE APACHE'S 30-MILLIMETER CANNON CAN RIP RIGHT THROUGH ENEMY TROOPS AND LIGHT ARMORED VEHICLES.
[ GUNFIRE .]
WHEN ENGAGING FORTIFIED TARGETS, THE APACHE DEPLOYS ONE OF ITS 100-POUND HELLFIRE MISSILES.
Luttrell: WE CAN EQUIP OUR AIRCRAF WITH ABOUT FOUR OF THESE HELLFIRE MISSILE LAUNCHERS, WHICH GIVES US ABOUT 16 HELLFIRES PER AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO DESTROY SOVIET TANKS DURING THE COLD WAR, THE LASER-GUIDED HELLFIRE WAS REFITTED TO UNLEASH DEVASTATING FIREPOWER IN SUPPORT OF GROUND OPERATIONS.
Luttrell: ONE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE ABOUT I IS ITS PRECISION CAPABILITY.
IT'S GONNA GO WHERE YOU POINT THE LASER.
ONCE THAT TARGET IS DESIGNATED BY THE LASER, THAT HELLFIRE MISSILE IS GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO THE LASER AND NOTHING ELSE.
THAT WAY, YOU ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE AN ACCURACY, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HIT ANYTHING ELSE WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO IT.
Narrator: AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S DAY OR NIGHT.
IF THE APACHE WANTS TO REACH OUT AND KILL SOMETHING, THERE'S NO ESCAPING ITS WRATH.
USING ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS CURRENTLY IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, THE REAR GUNNER CAN EMPLOY MULTIPLE CAMERAS, HEAT SENSORS AND LASERS.
WITH EACH HELLFIRE COSTING APPROXIMATELY $60,000, IT'S CRITICAL THAT EACH SHOT HITS ITS TARGET.
Luttrell: WHAT MAKES THIS THING MOST LETHAL IS ITS ABILITY TO FIND THE ENEMY.
WITH A CO-PILOT GUNNER, WE'VE GOT THE TARGET ACQUISITION DESIGNATOR, AND THIS AIDS HIM IN FINDING TARGETS.
SO HE'S GOT ATV CAMO, AND IN THE CLEAR CAMO, WHICH WOULD LOOK FOR COLOR DISPARITY IN A THERMAL REALM.
MAN: He's got something right across his lap there, Sir.
May be those weapons.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Hallion: YOU CAN SEE MOVEMENT AT A DISTANCE, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT EVEN BE AWARE THAT YOU'RE AROUND THEM.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THEM.
YOU CAN STUDY THEM, AND THEN YOU CAN TARGET THEM.
IT'S PART OF THAT WHOLE FIND, FIX, TRACK, TARGET, ENGAGE, ASSESS LOOP THAT WE HAVE, THE KILL CHAIN THAT YOU APPLY WITH ITS FORCES.
Narrator: THE INNOVATIVE TARGETING SYSTEM ENABLES THE APACHE TO DOMINATE THE BATTLEFIELD.
CASE IN POINT, AFGHANISTAN, 2009.
INSURGENTS ATTEMPT TO PLACE AN IED IN THE ROADSIDE IN FRONT OF A COALITION CONVOY.
THE APACHE HAS THEM IN ITS SIGHTS.
Perry: THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE COMING.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME WE'RE COMING.
WE WANT TO FIND THEM WHEN THEY'RE MOST VULNERABLE.
WE WANT TO FIND THEM IN THE ACT.
SO WE HAVE CONTINUOUS EYES ON THE OBJECTIVE AND THE TARGET.
THAT, TO US, IS THE GOAL.
Narrator: THE APACHE'S 30-MILLIMETER CANNON'S TARGETING SYSTEM MAKES IT EVEN EASIER TO ANNIHILATE THE ENEMY.
ONCE A TARGET IS ACQUIRED, IT APPEARS IN BOTH THE PILOT AND THE CO-PILOT'S HELMET DISPLAY VISOR.
Luttrell: INSIDE EACH CREW STATION, WE'VE GOT WHAT WE CALL AN INTEGRATED HELMET AND IHADSS.
AND WHAT THE IHADSS DOES IS IT USES I.
R.
DETECTORS TO SENSE WHERE THE PILOT IS LOOKING.
SO AS I TURN MY HEAD, THAT SENSOR IS LOOKING TO THE RIGHT.
AS I TURN TO THE LEFT, IT LOOKS TO THE LEFT.
IT'S CONSIDERED A WEAPON SIGHT BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTION THE GUN.
THE GUN WILL ALSO FOLLOW THE LINE OF SIGHT OF THE HELMET.
Narrator: ATTACHED TO THE PILOT'S HELME IS A MONOCLE WITH A CROSSHAIR DISPLAYED.
IT'S LINKED TO THE HELICOPTER'S WEAPONS SYSTEMS.
ALL THE GUNNER HAS TO DO IS LOOK AT A TARGET, LAY THE CROSSHAIRS ON IT, AND FIRE HIS WEAPON OF CHOICE.
Hallion: WHAT THIS DOES IS IT REALLY FREES HIM UP.
HE LOOKS, HE SEES, HE OBSERVES, AND THE INFORMATION HE NEEDS TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK IS RIGHT THERE WITH HIM.
PRETTY MUCH LOOK AND PULL THE TRIGGER, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ROUNDS ARE GONNA GO.
Luttrell: IT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FEELING TO BE ABLE TO JUST LOOK LEFT OR RIGH AND ENGAGE TARGETS WITH THE 30-MILLIMETER WHILE YOU'RE FLYING IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
Narrator: DESPITE ALL OF THIS OVERWHELMING TECHNOLOGY, THE APACHE STILL HAS ONE MORE SECRET WEAPON -- ITS CUTTING EDGE BLACK HOLE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM MASKS THE ENORMOUS HEAT SIGNATURE PUT OFF BY ITS POWERFUL ENGINES, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE MAKE IT VULNERABLE TO HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES.
THE SECRETIVE BLACK HOLE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM REDUCES THE HEAT SIGNATURE OF THE HELICOPTER BY TAKING THE HOT EXHAUST GASSES GENERATED BY THE ENGINES AND MIXING IT WITH THE COOLER AIR OUTSIDE, THEN FORCING IT THROUGH A SPECIAL FILTER TO VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE THE HEAT SIGNATURE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
BUT WHEN THE APACHE GETS IN CLOSE TO THE FIGHT, IT'S USUALLY HOVERING VULNERABLY IN RANGE OF ENEMY GUNS, SO DESIGNERS HAVE LINED THE APACHE WITH A VIRTUAL ARMORED BATH TUB.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ARMOR THAT'S ALL AROUND THE COCKPI IN VARIOUS CRITICAL PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
IT'S IN THE SIDES OF THE COCKPITS.
IT'S IN THE FLOOR OF THE COCKPITS.
AND IT'S ALSO IN THE SEAT, IN THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM, AND AROUND THE SIDES OF THE SEATS SO IT PROTECTS THE PILOTS.
IT'S ALSO IN CRITICAL AREAS LIKE YOU SEE HERE, THIS SIDE PANEL.
Narrator: MADE OF KEVLAR AND HIGHLY CLASSIFIED COMPOSITE MATERIALS, THE APACHE'S EXTERIOR ARMOR CAN STOP A .
50 CALIBER ROUND DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL TEST COUPON WHERE WE FIRED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE FIRED AT THE SHOT A .
50 CALIBER ROUND, HIT THIS.
WHILE THE ARMOR BULGED ON THE BACK SIDE, IT DID NOT ALLOW PENETRATION.
THEREBY, IT DID NOT FAIL, AND THE CREW WOULD HAVE SURVIVED A SHOT IN THE ARMOR LIKE THIS.
Narrator: EVEN THE GLASS PANELS THAT SURROUND THE COCKPI ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND REINFORCED TO WITHSTAND ENEMY ATTACK.
I'M SITTING IN THE PILOT STATION OF THE A-64 APACHE.
IN FRONT OF ME IS A CO-PILOT STATION.
IN BETWEEN US IS THIS TRANSPARENT ARMOR.
THE REASON FOR THA IS, IN CASE WE TAKE A ROUND INTO THE CO-PILOT STATION, IT DOESN'T FRAGMENT INTO THE PILOT STATION.
AND IF WE TAKE A ROUND IN THE PILOT STATION, IT DOESN'T FRAGMENT INTO THE CO-PILOT'S STATION.
Narrator: THE PROTECTIVE GLASS BETWEEN PILOT AND COCKPI CAN WITHSTAND ROUNDS OF UP TO 23 MILLIMETERS.
THIS IS WHERE THE FRAGMENT WOULD ENTER THE GLASS.
THIS IS THE SIDE THAT, WHERE THE PROTRUSION COMES OUT OF.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, A ROUND GOES THROUGH, IT FRAGMENTS TO THE POIN WHERE IT GETS CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE LAYERS, AND THE FRAGMENTS ARE CONTAINED INSIDE OF THIS GLASS, THEREBY NOT ALLOWING PENETRATION OR DAMAGE TO EITHER THE PILOT OR CO-PILOT.
IT ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT OR CONTINUE TO FLY.
Narrator: AND THE APACHE'S FUEL TANK, ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE SPOTS ON ANY HELICOPTER, IS SPECIALLY PROTECTED AGAINST ATTACK.
WE'RE INSIDE THE APACHE, WHERE THEY INSTALL THE FUEL TANK RIGHT HERE.
BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUSELAGE IS THIS BALLISTIC FOAM.
THIS BALLISTIC FOAM IS ACTUALLY PAINTED IN.
IT IS A DENSE PACK FOAM, SO IF A ROUND IS TO HIT IT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S SOFT, BUT IT ACTUALLY SLOWS THE ROUND DOWN.
WHERE THE KEVLAR BLANKE IN BETWEEN THE FOAM AND THE FUEL TANK WOULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE MORE BALLISTIC PROTECTION.
Narrator: IF A ROUND WERE TO PENETRATE THE FOAM AND KEVLAR BLANKET AND ENTER THE FUEL TANK, DESIGNERS HAVE CLEVERLY DEVISED A COUNTERINTUITIVE SOLUTION.
THIS IS A BALLISTICALLY SELF-SEALING TANK.
WHICH MEANS, A .
50 CALIBER ROUND COULD GO INTO IT, AND THE RUBBER IS STILL RAW, WHICH IT CLOSES THAT HOLE.
INSIDE, THERE IS INERTING GAS, SO IT WILL NOT START A FIRE, EITHER.
Narrator: BEING ARMED AND ARMORED TO THE TEETH EQUALS WEIGHT, SO THE APACHE UTILIZES FOUR MAIN ROTORS TO GIVE IT THE EXTRA LIFT AND POWER IT NEEDS TO BRING THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY.
IN THE RARE INSTANCE WHEN THE MIGHTY APACHE DOES TAKE A HIT, ITS DESIGN INNOVATIONS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND A CRASH.
Luttrell: EACH CREW STATION SEA WILL COMPRESS TO ABSORB THE IMPACT.
THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WILL COMPRESS ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
Schmitman: THE APACHE WAS DESIGNED TO BE A REVOLUTIONARY AIRCRAFT.
IT HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TO EVOLVE AND SUCCEED AT THE CHALLENGES OF THE MORE MODERN ERA.
THE TALIBAN HAVE COME TO FEAR THE APACHE SO MUCH THAT THEY REFER TO IT AS THE MONSTER.
Perry: IT'S NIMBLE.
IT'S AEROBATIC.
IT'S AGILE.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BASICALLY A FLYING TANK CAPABLE OF DELIVERING ORDNANCE AND DESTROYING JUST ABOUT ANY TARGET OUT THERE GIVES YOU A SENSE OF PRIDE AND A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, NO MATTER WHAT ENVIRONMENT OR WHERE YOU'RE FLYING.
TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
Narrator: IT STALKS AND IT KILLS.
THE APACHE IS THE MOST MENACING HELICOPTER EVER BUIL AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPOSE ITS WILL ON ENEMY TARGETS FOR YEARS TO COME.
COMING UP, THE FEARSOME ATTACK HELICOPTER THAT OPERATES HUNDREDS OF MILES AT SEA AND CAN ELIMINATE THREATS BOTH ABOVE AND BELOW THE SURFACE.
Narrator: ATTACK HELICOPTERS BRING A UNIQUE AND DEADLY OPTION FOR GROUND TROOPS ON THE MODERN BATTLEFIELD.
BUT WHEN THE FIGHT IS ON OR UNDER THE WATER, U.
S.
FORCES TURN TO THE MH-60 SEAHAWK, AND NO PREY CAN ESCAPE ITS FURY.
THE SEAHAWK IS THE MOST BADASS MARITIME HELICOPTER IN THE WORLD.
NOT ONLY CAN IT FIND YOU, BUT IT CAN ALSO KILL YOU.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK'S CRITICAL MISSION -- TO SEARCH AND DESTROY THE ENEMY BEFORE IT'S WITHIN RANGE TO THREATEN THE BATTLE GROUP IT'S CHARGED WITH PROTECTING.
Hallion: THE SEAHAWK REALLY GIVES MARITIME FORCES, IN GENERAL, MUCH GREATER BITE.
IF YOU COUPLE AIR REFUELING WITH THE HELICOPTER, YOU GET SOME TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGES, OBVIOUSLY, IN EXTENDING THE RANGE OF THE HELICOPTER AND THE REACH OF THE HELICOPTER, AND THEREBY, THE REACH OF MARITIME POWER AND THE PROTECTIVE SCREEN THAT SURROUND THE SHIPS.
IT'S LIKE YOUR GUARD DOG AROUND THE HOUSE.
Narrator: COMPARED TO OTHER ATTACK HELICOPTERS, THE SEAHAWK DOES MOST OF ITS WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT UNIQUE TO MOST HELICOPTER PILOTS.
Brown: MOST OF THE TIME, WE'RE IN THE OPEN OCEAN WITH JUST A SINGLE SHIP OR TWO OR THREE SHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LANDING PLATFORMS.
IT DOES ADD A LEVEL OF DANGER.
IF WEATHER COMES IN OR ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY, THAT SHIP IS THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE TO GO LAND.
WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF GOING TO A RUNWAY.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK TACKLES THE CHALLENGE WITH TWO 1,800 HORSEPOWER TURBOSHAFT ENGINES.
THE TWO ENGINES GIVE SEAHAWK PILOTS EXTRA POWER AND REDUNDANCY, ALLOWING THEM TO CONCENTRATE ON KILLING THE ENEMY.
ON THE SURFACE, THAT ENEMY CAN BE ANYTHING FROM WARSHIPS TO EXPLOSIVE-LADEN SPEEDBOATS TO PIRATES.
AND WHEN THE SEAHAWK SPOTS A THREAT, IT'S ARMED WITH AN M-60 MACHINE GUN AND FOUR DEVASTATING HELLFIRE MISSILES TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
SHOOTING A HELLFIRE MISSILE IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
YOU MAKE SEVERAL PRACTICE RUNS IN TRAINING.
WHEN IT COMES TIME TO FINALLY HIT THE BUTTON AND RELEASE THAT ORDNANCE, IT'S LIKE NOTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE, SEEING THAT ROCKET LEAVE THE RAIL.
Narrator: OFTEN PATROLLING OVER OPEN OCEAN FOR HOURS AT A TIME MEANS IT'S CRUCIAL FOR THE SEAHAWK TO BE AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
SO DESIGNERS HAVE LEFT OFF HEAVY ARMOR, RELYING INSTEAD ON CUTTING-EDGE DETECTION CAPABILITIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOT HEAVILY ARMED.
MOSTLY JUST SHEET ALUMINUM ALL THE WAY AROUND, SO WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST NOT TO TAKE ANY FIRE.
TO DO THAT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE BAD GUYS EARLY WITH THIS FLIR, AS WELL AS THE RADAR SYSTEM WE HAVE ON THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: BUT THE SEAHAWK'S MOST CRUCIAL MISSION IS TO FIND AND DESTROY THREATS LURKING BELOW THE SURFACE.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BROWN RECENTLY DEPLOYED TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, WHERE HE AND HIS CREW HUNTED ENEMY SUBMARINES.
Brown: WE LAUNCH IN A STRAIGHT MISSION.
WE ARE ALWAYS ON ALERT.
IT'S SUCH A TIGHT AREA, AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY'S GONNA COME FROM.
Hallion: SUBMARINES TODAY ARE VERY QUIET, VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT, AND THEY POSE A VERY DANGEROUS THREAT AGAINST THE BATTLE GROUP.
THEY HAVE TO BE KEPT OUT OF TORPEDO RANGE FROM THAT GROUP.
Narrator: THE SEAHAWK IS EQUIPPED WITH 25 SONAR BUOYS, OR SONOBUOYS, WHICH ACT AS STATIONARY UNDERWATER SENTRYS THAT WAIT FOR SUBMARINES TO ENTER A WIDESPREAD AREA.
IN ADDITION TO LOADING THESE BUOYS, HE'S ALSO GONNA BE PROGRAMMING THEM TO CERTAIN DEPTHS, AND THE DEPTH IS BASED ON WHERE WE EXPECT THAT SUBMARINE TO BE.
WHEN THE SONOBUOY LAUNCHES FROM THE LAUNCHER, IT'S LAUNCHED OUT PNEUMATICALLY VIA AIR.
PARACHUTE DEPLOYS, IT DROPS INTO THE WATER, AND WE START HUNTING THE SUBMARINES.
Narrator: ONCE A SONOBUOY HITS THE WATER, IT DEPLOYS AN INFLATABLE RADIO TRANSMITTER, WHICH REMAINS ON THE SURFACE.
LISTENING SENSORS DESCEND BELOW THE SURFACE.
WHEN AN UNDERWATER SENSOR DETECTS THE MECHANICALLY GENERATED SOUND WAVE FROM A SUBMARINE, IT RELAYS THAT SOUND WAVE TO THE SURFACE TRANSMITTER.
THE TRANSMITTER SENDS THE INFORMATION TO AN AIRCRAF OR SHIP IN THE BATTLE FLEET.
SINCE SONOBUOYS REMAIN IN ONE PLACE, THE SEAHAWK ALSO CARRIES A MOVABLE SEARCHING DEVICE CALLED DIPPING SONAR, WHICH CAN BE QUICKLY DEPLOYED TO PINPOINT A KNOWN THREAT IN A VERY SPECIFIC AREA.
Schmitman: THE DIPPING SONAR IS RECEIVING POWER FROM THE HELICOPTER.
IT'S A MUCH MORE POWERFUL, MUCH MORE SENSITIVE SYSTEM, SO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A PRECISION DETECTION OF THAT SUBMARINE, AND THEN MAKE A PRECISION ATTACK, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO USE YOUR DIPPING SONAR.
Narrator: WHEN EITHER SONAR SYSTEM FINDS A SUBMARINE, THE SEAHAWK CAN UNLEASH THREE MARK 46 TORPEDOES.
THE 500-POUND, 8 1/2-FOOT TORPEDO CAN TRAVEL TO A DEPTH OF 1,200 FEET FOR NEARLY SEVEN MILES.
POWERED BY A TWO-SPEED MOTOR, THE MARK 46'S ACOUSTIC HOMING DEVICE SENDS OUT A SOUND PULSE.
WHEN THE SOUND PULSE HITS A SUBMARINE, ITS ECHO RETURNS TO THE TORPEDO, WHICH THEN LOCKS ONTO THE TARGET.
THE TORPEDO THEN TRACKS THE ECHO TOWARD THE TARGE UNTIL DETONATION.
WITH ITS WEAPONRY AND SEARCH TECHNOLOGY, THE SEAHAWK DOMINATES THE MARITIME BATTLE SPACE.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE SEAHAWK'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE MAY BE GETTING BACK ABOARD SHIP.
Hallion: HELICOPTER OPERATIONS COMING ABOARD SHIP ARE VERY DANGEROUS.
THEY'RE A VERY PROPER RISK.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE OLD RUBBER BALL THAT YOU WOULD BOUNCE OFF A PADDLE.
IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, AND YOU DON'T TIME YOUR APPROACH TO THAT SHIP RIGHT, AND YOU'RE IN PITCHING, HEAVING SEAS, YOU CAN BE THAT LITTLE BALL BOUNCED BACK IN THE AIR.
Narrator: ONCE IT'S BACK SAFELY, THE SEAHAWK'S WINGS ARE FOLDED, AND IT'S STORED ABOVE OR BELOW DECK UNTIL THE NEXT CALL TO ACTION WHEN CREW AND CHOPPER WILL BRAVE THE SEAS TOGETHER.
Brown: IN EVERY MISSION WE LAUNCH ON, THE HELICOPTER BECOMES ONE OF THE CREW.
WE DEPEND ON HER TO TAKE US INTO DANGER AND BRING US BACK FROM DANGER SAFELY.
WE TRUST THAT SEAHAWK WITH OUR LIVES.
Narrator: ABOVE LAND AND SEA, ATTACK HELICOPTERS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS.
BUT THAT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.
NEXT UP, THE MILITARY HELICOPTER'S TRANSFORMATION FROM UNARMED TROOP TRANSPORT TO PIONEERING PREDATOR.
Narrator: IN TODAY'S MILITARY, ATTACK HELICOPTERS ARE AN ESSENTIAL WEAPON, DELIVERING FIREPOWER FROM ABOVE OVER BOTH LAND AND SEA.
BUT THE HELICOPTER WASN'T ALWAYS SEEN AS AN ATTACK ASSET.
IN VIETNAM, HELICOPTERS REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY WE TRANSPORT TROOPS WITH THE TURBO-POWERED, UH-1 HUEY.
QUITE POSSIBLY, THE MOST ICONIC MILITARY HELICOPTER OF ALL TIME.
YOU THINK ABOUT VIETNAM AND "APOCALYPSE NOW" OR ANY OF THOSE GREAT MOVIES ABOUT VIETNAM, AND IT'S THE HUEY.
ITS DESIGN WAS PRIMARILY TO BECOME THE ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEW VISION OF CAVALRY, AIR MOBILE.
MOVING MEN AND MATéRIEL INTO NEW AREAS AND FIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: THE VERY NAME "CHOPPER" BECAME COMMON FROM THE HUEY'S DISTINCTIVE "CHOP, CHOP, CHOP" SOUND OF ITS ROTOR BLADES.
[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING .]
A SOUND THAT FILLED THE SKIES DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING .]
DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE WAR, WHEN THE HUEY TRANSPORTED TROOPS TO AND FROM THE BATTLEFIELD, IT WAS ALWAYS UNDER INTENSE FIRE WITHOUT ANY WEAPONS TO DEFEND ITSELF.
Hallion: WE DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE GETTING SO MUCH GROUND FIRE WHEN THEY APPROACHED LANDING ZONES THAT WE NEEDED TO PROVIDE FIRE SUPPORT FROM THE AIR AS THE TROOPS THEMSELVES WERE BEING INSERTED.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THA THAN TO HAVE HUEYS OUTFITTED WITH GUNS? [ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
THIS MACHINE GUN IS A 7.
62-MILLIMETER FIXED MOUNTED MACHINE GUN.
MADE THIS THE FIRST ARMED TROOP-CARRYING HELICOPTER IN VIETNAM.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S 7.
62-CALIBER M-60 MACHINE GUN TORE THROUGH THE JUNGLE CANOPY AT A RATE OF 600 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THE HUEY'S ABILITY TO PUT ROUNDS ON THE ENEMY PROVED SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE ARMY DECIDED TO ARM IT WITH EVEN MORE FIREPOWER.
Hallion: FINALLY, THEY REALIZED, YOU KNOW, "MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TAKE SOME OF THESE HUEYS, "INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM CARRY GUNS AS A SIDELINE, "MAYBE WE OUGHT TO TAKE SOME HUEYS AND MAKE THEM INTO GUNSHIPS, WHERE THAT WOULD BE THEIR SOLE PURPOSE.
" [ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: MILITARY BRASS TURNED UP THE HEA BY ADDING 19 70-MILLIMETER ROCKET PODS TO EACH SIDE OF THE HUEY'S AIRFRAME TURNING THE ONCE UNARMED TROOP TRANSPORT HELICOPTER INTO A FORMIDABLE, OFFENSIVE WEAPON.
MAN: Good job.
I saw you splatter one right in the back with a rocket.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S FIREPOWER DELIVERED HOT STEEL ON THE ENEMY.
IT COULD CARRY HEAVY WEIGHTED WEAPONRY BECAUSE IT WASN'T CARRYING HEAVY ARMOR.
THIS THING HAS NO BASIC ARMOR PLATING AT ALL ON IT.
IT'S A VERY THIN-SKINNED AIRCRAFT.
Schmitman: HAD THEY PUT ARMOR PLATING, THAT WAS STATE-OF-THE-ART AT THAT TIME, IT WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY IMPEDED THE UTILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
WHETHER IT WAS OR NOT, AT LEAST PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT WAS.
Narrator: HUEY PILOTS MITIGATED THE DANGER, EXPLOITING THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN STRENGTH -- MANEUVERABILITY.
WHETHER WEAVING IN AND OUT OF THE TREETOPS OR FLYING JUST OUT OF RANGE OF SMALL ARMS FIRE, THE DARING PILOTS SUCCESSFULLY MANEUVERED THEIR WAY TO THE LANDING ZONE.
ONCE IN THE LANDING ZONE, HUEY PILOTS RISKED THEIR OWN LIVES TO PUT GROUND TROOPS AS CLOSE TO THE ACTION AS POSSIBLE.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
WITH EVERY SECOND A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH, HUEY PILOTS OPERATED WITH FOCUSED, SKILLFUL PRECISION TO GINGERLY INSERT TROOPS WITHOUT THE HUEY'S LANDING SKID EVER TOUCHING THE GROUND.
IF YOU WERE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE WOUNDED, WE HAD TWO HANDLES ON THE PILOT'S SEATS.
IN CASE SOMEBODY WAS WOUNDED IN THE SEAT, YOU COULD PULL THOSE HANDLES, ROTATE THE SEAT BACK AND EXTRACT THAT PILOT OUT THIS WAY FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION.
Narrator: FORTUNATELY, JACK McCORMICK RETURNED STATESIDE WITH HIS SEAT STILL UPRIGHT.
HE CREDITS HIS ICONIC CHOPPER, THE HUEY.
Perry: IT'S THE THING THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR.
IT IS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PART OF IT, BOTH SIGHT AND SOUND.
IT'S THE AIRCRAFT THAT TOOK ME OUT.
IT'S THE AIRCRAFT THAT BROUGHT ME HOME.
Narrator: ARMING THE HUEY PROVED HELICOPTERS COULD PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN COMBAT, SO DESIGNERS LOOKED TO MAKE THE HELICOPTER EVEN MORE LETHAL.
USING THE HUEY FRAME AND ENGINE AS ITS BASE, THEY ADDED A BRUTAL ARSENAL AND STREAMLINED I INTO THE WORLD'S FIRST TRUE ATTACK HELICOPTER, THE HUEYCOBRA.
IT WAS LETHAL.
IT WAS LOW.
IT WAS HIDDEN.
IT WOULD SNEAK UP ON YOU, AND IT HAD A VENOMOUS BITE.
THE COBRA GUNSHIP WAS LIKE NOTHING ELSE THAT HAD BEEN SEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD WITH THE EXTRAORDINARY MANEUVERABILITY TO TURN AND BANK AND DIVE AND GET IN THERE AND MIX IT UP WITH GROUND FORCE.
Reeder: I LOVED THE COBRA BECAUSE IT WAS A LEAN, MEAN KILLING MACHINE.
TO HAVE THAT KIND OF COMBAT POWER AT THE FINGERTIPS OF A YOUNG MAN IS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, THIS IS ONE BADASS MOFO.
HERE'S WHY.
2.
75-INCH FOLDING-FIN AERIAL ROCKETS COMING AT YOU.
THEY COULD COME AT YOU IN FLIGHT.
THEY COULD COME AT YOU FROM A HOVER.
COMING FORWARD, YOU'VE GOT A 7.
62 GATLING GUN.
THIS GUY JUST SAID, "BRR, BRR, GRR, GRR," AND IT WOULD LAY DOWN SUPPRESSIVE FIRE.
THE REALLY COOL THING ABOUT THIS AIRCRAFT.
THEY BASICALLY TOOK A HUEY, AND THEY SQUASHED IT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GUY, IT'S 36 INCHES WIDE.
IMAGINE THIS COBRA COMING AT YOU IN FLIGHT.
VERY HARD TO HIT.
IT'S FAST.
IT'LL DO 120 KNOTS WITHOUT BREATHING HARD.
IT'S MOVING, YANKING, AND BANKING, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT OF THE SKY AND PUT FIRE ON.
THE COBRA JUST RULED THE SKIES IN VIETNAM, IN TERMS OF BATTLEFIELD AIR SUPPORT.
Narrator: BILL REEDER SERVED AS A CHOPPER PILOT IN VIETNAM, WHERE HE PUSHED THE COBRA TO PLACES FEW PILOTS HAVE.
Reeder: WELL, THE COBRA, WE COULD TAKE UP AND ON A GUN RUN.
YOU JUST ABOUT TURN IT OVER ON A WING OVER AND COME DOWN AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE, UNLEASHING THE ROCKETS AND MACHINE GUN WEAPON SYSTEMS, AND THEN PULL UP IN A FAIRLY HIGH-G MANEUVER AND COME OUT OF THE GUN WAY.
Narrator: ITS TOP ROTOR GUIDED THE COBRA'S AERIAL ACROBATICS, AND THAT ROTOR WAS HELD IN PLACE BY A COUPLE INCHES OF STEEL.
ON THE TOP OF THE ROTOR BLADE IS A NUT.
WE USED TO CALL IT THE JESUS NU BECAUSE THIS ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS HELD TOGETHER WITH ONE NUT WITH A LITTLE SAFETY SCREW IN THE SIDE OF IT TO KEEP IT FROM ROTATING, BUT THAT ONE NUT HOLDS ON THE ENTIRE ROTOR BLADE.
Narrator: THE COBRA'S AGILITY AND FIREPOWER MADE IT A PERFECT BODYGUARD FOR THE HUEYS.
WHEN COBRA PILOTS NEEDED A POWERFUL WEAPON IN TIGHT SPOTS, THEY RELIED ON THEIR MINI MACHINE GUN.
[ RAPID GUNFIRE .]
Reeder: THE MINI GUN COMES DOWN LIKE A STREAM OF LIGHT.
IT'S JUST A RED LINE COMING DOWN FROM THE SKY, AND YOU CAN WALK THAT FIRE AND BRING THAT FIRE RIGHT ONTO THAT ENEMY AND DESTROY HIM.
Narrator: IF THE MINI GUN DIDN'T WORK, THE COBRA HAD ANOTHER WEAPON THAT IT COULD UNLEASH ON THE ENEMY -- TOW MISSILES.
AS THE MISSILE RACED TOWARD THE TANK, IT STEAMED OUT A SMALL WIRE.
YOU WERE CONTROLLING THAT WIRE WITH A LITTLE JOYSTICK ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE MISSILE HIT THE TANK.
Narrator: THE TOW MISSILE WAS CUTTING-EDGE WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY.
BUT THIS WAS BEFORE THE DAYS OF LASER-GUIDED MUNITIONS, SO PILOTS CLEVERLY IMPROVISED A TARGETING SYSTEM.
MOST OF THE PILOTS USED A GREASE PENCIL.
SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, LOOKING THROUGH THE FRONT CANOPY, THERE'D JUST BE A GREASE PENCIL "X" UP ON THE SCREEN OUT THERE, ON THE CANOPY.
AND WHAT THE PILOTS WOULD DO IS MANIPULATE THE AIRCRAF TO PUT THAT CROSSHAIR ON THE TARGET, AND THEY'D FIRE THEIR ROCKETS.
AND THEN, BASED ON WHERE THE ROCKETS IMPACT, THEY WOULD ADJUST THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT ACCORDINGLY TO TRY TO GET CLOSER.
Narrator: DURING THE EASTER OFFENSIVE IN 1972, COBRA PILOTS USED THEIR GREASE PENCILS AND TOW MISSILES TO ANNIHILATE ADVANCING SOVIET-BUILT TANKS AS THEY MENACED SOUTH VIETNAM.
Reeder: WE COULD HIT SPECIFIC TARGETS OFTTIMES BY VERY STEEP DIVE ANGLES, GETTING VERY CLOSE BEFORE WE FIRED THE ORDNANCE, COUPLED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF LUCK THAT THAT ROCKE THEN WENT EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE POINTING I AND HITTING A POINT TARGET.
ONCE THE COBRAS FOUND THE ENEMY, THE COBRAS KILLED THE ENEMY.
Narrator: THE COBRA USHERED IN THE ATTACK HELICOPTER REVOLUTION, BUT FOR PILOTS LIKE BILL REEDER, IT WAS A REVELATION.
Reeder: WHEN I THINK BACK TO THE COBRA, THAT IS THE MOST AWESOME AIRCRAFT I HAVE EVER FLOWN IN.
THE MOST DEMANDING, CHALLENGING, YET AT THE SAME TIME, EXCITING AND REWARDING MISSION.
Hallion: WE ARE 50 YEARS PAST THE TIME WHERE THE COBRA WAS IN ITS HEYDAY, AND EVEN NOW, THE COBRA WOULD BE A DEADLY SYSTEM TO USE IN THE AIR-TO-GROUND WARFARE BECAUSE THE COBRA HAS A BALANCED GROUP OF QUALITIES OF SPEED, ARMOR, AGILITY, FIREPOWER.
IT CAN BRING US ALL AGAINST A FOE AND REALLY, REALLY UPSET A FOE'S MASS.
Narrator: THE SUCCESS OF ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM CHANGED MILITARY TACTICS FOREVER.
COMING UP, THE COBRA AND HUEY'S BLOODLINES LIVE ON IN TWO STATE-OF-THE-ART ATTACK HELICOPTERS.
ONE THAT CAN STRIKE ENEMY AIRCRAFT, AND ANOTHER THAT CAN FIND THE ENEMY USING THE LATEST TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY.
Narrator: ATTACK HELICOPTERS HAVE BEEN EVOLVING FOR NEARLY FIVE DECADES.
FROM THE VIETNAM ERA COBRA CAME THE SUPER COBRAS, A SERIES OF HYBRID CHOPPERS THAT OPERATE IN ANY THEATER.
FROM THE SALTY AIR ENVIRONMENT ABOARD SHIPS AT SEA TO THE SANDY DESERTS OF THE MIDDLE EAST.
AND THIS IS THE LATEST VERSION, THE AH-1Z VIPER, A.
K.
A.
ZULU, ALTHOUGH THE MARINES RESPECTFULLY CALL I THE SUPER COBRA.
IF WE CAN THINK OF THE COBRAS AS A FAMILY, THE COBRAS WERE BASED ON A VERY GOOD IDEA, BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
THEY'VE IMPROVED ON IT CONTINUOUSLY, ADDED NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND IT'S PROVEN ITSELF TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BE AN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE ASSET TO TODAY'S MARINES IN THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: THE LATEST HI-TECH WONDER IN THE COBRA FAMILY BRINGS A LETHAL AND UNPRECEDENTED COMBINATION OF BRAINS AND BRAWN TO THE BATTLEFIELD AT A COST OF $31 MILLION.
Greb: YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE TREATING THE AIRCRAF THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE TREATED, BUT THEN ALSO EXPLORING ITS CAPABILITIES.
Narrator: AND THOSE CAPABILITIES NOW INCLUDE WAGING BATTLE AGAINST OTHER HELICOPTERS AND FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT.
BY ARMING THE SUPER COBRA WITH SIDEWINDER MISSILES, THE MARINES BECAME THE FIRST MILITARY BRANCH WITH A DEDICATED ATTACK CHOPPER THAT HAS AIR-TO-AIR CAPABILITY.
STILL, THE SUPER COBRA'S MAIN MISSION IS ASSISTING GROUND TROOPS.
THAT'S WHEN IT CALLS ON THE OTHER WEAPONS IN ITS STUNNING ARSENAL -- A 20-MILLIMETER GATLING GUN, 70 HYDRA ROCKETS, AND LASER-GUIDED HELLFIRE AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILES.
DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR, SUPER COBRAS USED THEIR FULL ARRAY OF WEAPONRY TO LEAD ONE OF THE MOST LOPSIDED ROUTS IN THE HISTORY OF WARFARE.
IN ONE MISSION ALONE, SUPER COBRAS UNLEASHED HELLFIRE MISSILES ON 60 IRAQI TANKS, TURNING EVERY ONE OF THEM TO RUBBLE.
IN 2003'S OPERATION, IRAQI FREEDOM, MARINE SUPER COBRAS WERE OFTEN TASKED WITH PROVIDING CLOSE AIR SUPPORT IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
BUT FIGHTING SO CLOSE TO THE ENEMY EXPOSED A VULNERABILITY.
OF THE 58 MARINE COBRAS IN BATTLE, 46 TOOK SOME DAMAGE FROM SMALL ARMS FIRE.
THE MARINE SUPER COBRAS MET THE CHALLENGE WITH A GROUNDBREAKING TARGETING SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PILOTS TO SEE THEIR TARGETS FROM UP TO TEN MILES AWAY, WELL OUT OF RANGE OF ENEMY SMALL ARMS FIRE.
THE KEY COMPONEN IS THE TARGETING SYSTEM'S CAMERA OPTICS.
Schmitman: THE FLIR SYSTEM HAS THE CAPABILITY TO LOOK AT TARGETS THE FARTHEST DISTANCE AWAY OF ANY HELICOPTER OF ITS KIND.
BASICALLY, IT'S LIKE YOU WERE TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH YOUR OWN CAMERA THROUGH A VERY LONG TELEPHOTO LENS.
IT'S HARD TO DO IF YOU WERE HAND HOLDING IT.
BUT THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE ZULU IS SO GOOD, IT CAN STABILIZE THAT CAMERA.
BEING ABLE TO DETECT YOUR TARGETS FROM MORE THAN 20 KLICKS OU AND BEING ABLE TO BUILD YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO THE OBJECTIVE AREA REALLY BUILDS THE SECTION'S ABILITIES TO SUPPORT THE GUY ON THE DECK.
Narrator: WITH THE STEADY IMAGE OF ENEMY TARGETS APPEARING ON THEIR HELMET VISOR, SUPER COBRA PILOTS HAVE A SHARPER AND LONGER VIEW OF THE BATTLEFIELD THAN ANY ATTACK HELICOPTER PILOTS FLYING TODAY.
Greb: YOU CAN FOCUS MORE EXTERNALLY TO THE AIRCRAF AND TO THE OBJECTIVE AREA TO ACHIEVE A MISSION, NOT CONCENTRATE SO MUCH ON FLYING.
IF YOU HAVE A POP-UP ENEMY, HE'S WITHIN RANGE, YOU JUST QUICK DRAW LOOK AT HIM AND SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER, AND YOU'LL BE GOOD TO GO.
Narrator: THE SUPER COBRA'S DUAL ENGINE SYSTEM DRAWS FROM AN ENLARGED FUEL TANK, EXTENDING THE SUPER COBRA'S FLYING TIME TO 2 1/2 HOURS, GIVING IT MORE TIME TO STAY IN THE FIGHT.
ALL COMBINED, THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES INSTALLED ON THE MODERN COBRA CONTINUE TO MAKE IT THE MARINE'S ATTACK HELICOPTER OF CHOICE.
THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE TARGETS OUT TO THE MAX EFFECTIVE RANGE OF OUR ORDNANCE WHILE ALLOWING THE CREW TO REMAIN SAFE, AS WELL AS JUST THE ABILITY TO REMAIN ON STATION LONGER TO SUPPORT THE GRUNTS ON DECK, IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SELLING POINTS WE NEED.
Narrator: ANOTHER UPGRADED VIETNAM CHOPPER IS ALSO REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY WE USE ATTACK HELICOPTERS, THE SUPER HUEY.
WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THAT AN AIRCRAFT AS OLD AS THE UH-1 WOULD BE RELEGATED TO A PICKUP TRUCK ROLE.
INSTEAD, WE STILL FIND IT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, ARMED AND VERY CAPABLE, PROVING ITSELF TO BE ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE AIRCRAF EVER BUILT.
Narrator: STILL A STALWART TROOP TRANSPORT, THE HUEY IS NOW ARMED TO BE EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE AS AN ASSAULT CHOPPER, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF ITS MINI GUN.
IT'S REALLY AN AWESOME FEELING TO SHOOT THAT MINI GUN.
IT HAS NO RECOIL WHATSOEVER.
YOU'RE LINED UP BEHIND THE GUN.
YOU ENGAGE THAT TARGET, AND YOU WATCH YOUR ROUNDS FALL INTO THAT TARGET.
IT'S AN EXHILARATING FEELING.
STRAPPED IN WITH NOTHING BUT A GUNNER'S BELT.
TO BE ABLE TO GO FLY IN A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR AIRCRAF AND SHOOT MACHINE GUNS FROM IT, NOBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD CAN SAY THEY DO THAT.
Narrator: LIKE THE SUPER COBRA, THE SUPER HUEY HAS ADDED POWER WITH A MIGHTY SECOND ENGINE.
THE INCREASED POWER THAT THAT PROVIDES IS JUST A COMPLETE GAME CHANGER.
WHEN YOU GET INTO A SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE YOU DIDN'T REALIZE IT, BUT YOU NEED THE POWER, OR YOU NEED THE AIRSPEED IN A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN TROUBLE, THE HELICOPTER GIVES YOU EVERYTHING IT'S GOT, AND THEN IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
Narrator: THE SUPER HUEY CAN NOW REACH SPEEDS OF 190 MILES PER HOUR, SOME 60 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN THE ORIGINAL.
BUT THE POWER UPGRADES DIDN'T STOP THERE.
THE HUEY'S LIFT CAPACITY HAS ALSO INCREASED WITH ITS NEW AND IMPROVED FOUR-PLATED MAIN AND TAIL ROTORS.
A SYSTEM THAT MAKES IT QUIETER, ELIMINATING THE VERY SOUND IT BECAME KNOWN FOR DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
Schmitman: WITH THE NEW ROTOR, ALTHOUGH WE'VE LOST THE ICONIC "CHOP, CHOP, CHOP" OF THE ORIGINAL UH-1'S TWO-BLADE ROTOR SYSTEM, WE HAVE A MORE DAMAGE-TOLERANT ROTOR SYSTEM THAT'S FOUR-BLADED.
THEY ADDED COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND PERFORMS MUCH, MUCH BETTER IN THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT REDUCES AURAL SIGNATURE, AND YOU CAN GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE FIGH BEFORE THE ENEMY CAN START HEARING AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SKIDS THAT ARE INBOUND.
Narrator: WHILE THE NEW ROTORS MAKE IT HARDER FOR THE ENEMY TO HEAR THE SUPER HUEY COMING, A REVOLUTIONARY OPTICS PACKAGE MAKES IT EASIER FOR PILOTS TO BETTER SEE THE DETAILS OF THE BATTLE SPACE.
Oates: WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN SWITCH FROM FLIR IMAGE TO A STRAIGHT-UP COLOR IMAGE TO BE ABLE TO FIND THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER DURING THE DAY.
TO RECOGNIZE AND IDENTIFY DISTANCES -- THAT ALLOWS US TO STAY A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AWAY FROM A TARGET OR A THREAT.
Narrator: COMBAT PILOTS ARE EVEN USING iPADS WITH ENCRYPTED TECHNOLOGY TO NAVIGATE THE BATTLEFIELD.
Pearce: IT'S VERY QUICK TO FIND THE MAP THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED.
IT'S ALLOWED US TO KEEP A TON OF INFORMATION, A TON OF MAPS ON JUST ONE SMALL, COMPACT DEVICE.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY A SATELLITE IMAGERY THAT SHOWS ALL THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE ON THE GROUND, AND THEN NUMBER EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPOUND.
Narrator: TODAY'S SUPER HUEY -- MORE POWER, MORE FIREPOWER, AND SMARTER THAN EVER.
IT'S A COMBINATION THAT SOLIDIFIES THE HUEY'S PLACE AS THE LIFESAVING ATTACK HELICOPTER THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF ITSELF IN A FIGHT.
IT'S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY, SO THAT THE GROUND GUYS CAN LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.
NEXT, THE TOP SECRET HELICOPTER THAT FEW HAVE EVER SEEN, BUT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE MOST DARING COMMANDO RAID EVER.
Narrator: FROM MISSIONS THAT REQUIRE SPEED AND AGILITY TO OTHERS THAT NEED HEAVY FIREPOWER, ATTACK HELICOPTERS HAVE BECOME A CRITICAL PAR OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.
AND NEVER MORE SO THAN DURING ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST LONG-AWAITED MISSIONS -- THE MISSION TO KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN.
ON MAY 2, 2011, TWO TOP SECRET BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS TRANSPORTED THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM THAT TOOK OUT BIN LADEN.
BUT WHILE TRYING TO LAND INSIDE THE COMPOUND, ONE OF THE BLACK HAWKS CRASHED.
LEFT BEHIND WERE CLUES OF A TOP SECRET ATTACK HELICOPTER LIKE NO OTHER.
STEALTH CONFIGURED SHAPES, NOISE-REDUCING ROTORS, AND RADAR-ABSORBING PAINT -- THE WORLD'S FIRST STEALTH ATTACK HELICOPTER HAD BEEN EXPOSED.
IT HAD SOME SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY ON IT, AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THA WAS HERE WAS A HELICOPTER THAT WAS VERY ADVANCED.
WE NOW KNOW THAT LOW OBSERVABLE TECHNOLOGY IN A ROTORCRAF IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, IT'S DESIRABLE.
HAD ALL THE HELICOPTERS ON THAT MISSION BEEN VISIBLE TO THE PAKISTANI FORCES ON THE WAY IN, I THINK THE RECEPTION THAT THAT TEAM WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IN PAKISTAN WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT.
Narrator: THE STEALTH ASPECTS INCORPORATED IN THE BLACK HAWK WERE A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF ATTACK HELICOPTERS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER MAJOR IMPROVEMEN COMING FAST ON THE HORIZON -- SPEED.
THIS IS THE FASTEST HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
THE PROTOTYPE X2 DEMONSTRATOR.
AND THIS IS THE MAN WHO BROKE THE WORLD SPEED RECORD.
Bredenbeck: THE SENSATION OF GOING THAT FAS WAS PRETTY DRAMATIC.
IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE, THE FEELING YOU GET WHEN YOU LOOK OUTSIDE, AND YOU REALIZE THAT YOU BASICALLY CHANGED THE WAY THE HELICOPTER'S GONNA FLY IN THE FUTURE.
Narrator: DURING THIS TEST FLIGHT, THE X2 REACHED AN ASTOUNDING 288 MILES PER HOUR, NEARLY 40 MILES PER HOUR FASTER THAN ANY HELICOPTER BEFORE IT, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY.
THIS IS THE BUSINESS END OF THE X2, A 6-BLADED RENO RACER PROPELLER THAT PROVIDES OUR THRUST AT HIGH SPEED.
Narrator: THE PUSHER PROPELLER BRINGS ADDITIONAL FORCE TO PROPEL THE HELICOPTER FORWARD, A TASK PERFORMED SOLELY BY THE TOP ROTOR IN CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTERS.
COMBINE THE PUSHER PROPELLER WITH TWO COAXIAL TOP ROTORS AND AN 1,800 HORSEPOWER TURBOSHAFT ENGINE, AND IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THE X2 UP FOR SPEED RECORDS TO FALL.
THIS IS WHERE WE SET THE UNOFFICIAL RECORD OF 250 KNOTS, 288 MILES PER HOUR, AND WE HAD THE CAPABILITY TO EVEN GO FASTER WITH THIS AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: BUT AT SUCH SPEEDS, DESIGNERS FOUND THAT THE ADDED FORCE OUTPACED A PILOT'S ABILITY TO KEEP THE CHOPPER STABLE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK IN HERE, WE HAVE A SIDEARM CONTROLLER, FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL.
Narrator: FLY-BY-WIRE IS A SYSTEM THAT REPLACES HUMAN REACTION TIME WITH THE SPLIT-SECOND RESPONSES THAT CAN ONLY BE GENERATED BY A COMPUTER.
IN A CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTER, PILOTS MUST MANUALLY ADJUST THE VARIOUS ROTOR CONTROLS THAT MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT.
THE FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM TAKES INPU FROM THE HELICOPTER'S CONTROL STICK AND SENDS IT TO A COMPUTER ELECTRONICALLY, VIA WIRES.
THE COMPUTER PERFORMS WITHOUT THE PILOT'S INPU TO AUTOMATICALLY HELP STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT.
WITH THE ADDED SPEED BEING GUIDED BY FLY-BY-WIRE, THE X2 CAN OUTMANEUVER ANY HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
Bredenbeck: YOU LOOK AT THE CAPABILITIES OF THIS HELICOPTER, FROM A MANEUVERABILITY STANDPOINT, FROM AGILITY, TO JUST THE LOW-SPEED MANEUVERING ATTRIBUTES WITH THE PROPELLER, I'M VERY EXCITED OF THE FAC THAT THIS POTENTIALLY IS GONNA BE THE BEST ATTACK HELICOPTER ANYONE HAS EVER SEEN.
Narrator: ENTER THE S-97 RAIDER.
DERIVED FROM X2 TECHNOLOGY, BUT STILL IN THE CONCEPT STAGE.
THE RAIDER IS BUILT TO CARRY SIX SPECIAL OPERATION TROOPS TO THEIR OBJECTIVES QUICKLY, QUIETLY, AND WITH DECISIVE FIREPOWER.
REACHING SPEEDS OF 250 MILES PER HOUR, IT WILL WIELD SEVEN ROCKETS AND A .
50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN.
AND IF IT NEEDS TO, IT WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLY BACKWARDS, ALLOWING IT TO EGRESS WHILE KEEPING ROUNDS ON THE ENEMY.
IN A TYPICAL ATTACK HELICOPTER, YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE TO COME OVER THE TARGET AND BREAK COVER, AND YOU'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GROUND FIRE.
WITH AN X2 S-97 RAIDER, YOU CAN UTILIZE THE PROP AND BACK AWAY FROM THE TARGET AS YOU'RE FIRING WEAPONS UNTIL YOU'RE OUT OF RANGE, AND THEN BREAK COVER.
Narrator: WITH THE S-97 RAIDER, U.
S.
SPECIAL FORCES WILL HAVE THE FASTEST ATTACK HELICOPTER EVER BUILT.
AND AS ATTACK CHOPPERS BECOME MORE IMPORTAN TO THE EVER-CHANGING BATTLE SPACE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE, WITH EVERYTHING FROM STEALTH CAPABILITY TO RECORD-BREAKING SPEED, TO WEAPON AND TARGETING SYSTEMS, ASSURING THAT U.
S.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE SKIES FOR DECADES TO COME.