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From: megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Hellfires
Message-ID: <1990Nov19.002156.9555@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 19 Nov 90 00:21:56 GMT
References: <1990Nov16.052824.22355@cbnews.att.com>
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From: megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23)

In article <1990Nov16.052824.22355@cbnews.att.com> ccicpg!cci632!jvz@uunet.uu.net (John V. Zambito) writes:
>In a recent issue of AW&ST I saw a picture of a helicopter with 2
>pods of 4 hellfire missiles (what a great name) each. It seems to
>me that they could fit more than 8 on one helicopter. I would guess 

You probably saw a Bell Huey Cobra. They only have the lifting capacity to
carry two pods of four. The Hughes Apache has a capacity of four pods of
four. Both helicopters can carry additional weapons at he same time. Plus,
of course, the guns.

>that the helicopter has to travel a hundred miles or so before it

>From The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters by Giorgio Apostolo.
Comparitive ranges and speeds of the Hughes Model 500D, Bell AH-1J Sea
Cobra, Sikorksy UH-60A Black Hawk, Hughes (Now McDD) AH-64A Apache,
and the cancelled Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
500D   speed  244km/h(152mph)   range   600km(373miles)
AH-1J  speed  330km/h(205mph)   range   550km(342miles)
UH-60A speed  360km/h(224mph)   range   600km(373miles)  
AH-64A speed  378km/h(235mph)   range   610km(379miles)
AH-56  speed  389km/h(242mph)   range 1,400km(870miles)

The films I've seen of the Cheyenne show it to be one mean mother. But it
was way ahead of its time and was considered to mechanicly complicated.
Ahead of its time, what can you expect from Lockheed. :-)
 
>reaches the enemy. Then it only gets 8 shots and has to return to
>base. Wouldn't it be better to carry 20 or 30 and really have some 
>fun?

Sure, but Hellfires weigh a hell of a lot. More than a TOW. I don't have 
my reference library here, but it is a very massive missile. Even a 
Black Hawk with the utility wings can only carry 16, plus a small amount of
cargo. It would take a truly massive aircraft to carry 20 or 30 missiles in
a ready to fire position.

>How do these Hellfires work anyway?

Laser homing, the target is illuminated by laser light and the missile homes
in on the reflection.

>How much do they cost?
Sorry, I don't have the figures here, they're at home.

P.S. I think our news system is screwed, is this making it beyond WPI?

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