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HELICOPTER FIRE CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

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FIRE CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (listed by model No.)

Following are some fire control systems developed for use with U.S. Army Helicopter Weapon Systems.

AN/AAS-25 FLIR. The AN/AAS-25 passive infrared night equipment was a passive thermal image with sensor, signal processor, display, compressor, indicator, and power supply developed for use with the XM112 swiveling gunner's station on the AH-56A Cheyenne.

AN/AAQ-5 Night Vision Sight. The AN/AAQ-5 Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) featured a televised thermal image to the pilot and copilot providing night vision capabilities to the UH-1M "Huey" and the AH-1G "Huey" Cobra. The AN/AAQ-5 FLIR was a component of the Southeast Asia Multi-Sensor Armament System (SMASH) developed for use on the AH-1G Cobra.

AN/AYG Ballistics Computer Set. The AN/AYG generated the proper weapon lead angles for flexible weapon systems on the UH-1 "Huey" and the AH-1G "Huey" Cobra. The computer compensated for windage jump, gravity drop, magnus effect, barrel spin, aircraft motion, and wind and target motion.

AN/ALQ-144A(V)1 Countermeasures Set (CMS). The AN/ALQ-144A(V)1 infrared jammer is designed jam all known infrared threat missile systems when operated on helicopters equipped with low reflective paint and engine exhaust suppressors.
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AN/ALQ-144 on AH-1F Modernized Cobra (Copyright Richard G. Marshall)
Blue arrow AN/ALQ-144 on AH-64A Apache attack helicopter (Copyright Richard G. Marshall)

MK8 Reflex Sight. The MK8 was a simple unity power reflex sight used on the UH-1B/UH-1C "Huey" for rocket firing with the XM3 24-tube 2.75 inch rocket launcher.

XM26 Telescopic Sight. The XM26 was a Research and Development project for a stabilized visual and Infrared line of sight for use on the UH-1B "Huey".

XM58 Sight. The XM58 was a Research and Development project for an antioscillation gyro-stabilized monocular used by the gunner to stabilize and magnify the target for guidance of the AGM-22B (formerly SS-11B1) missile when using the M22 guided missile launcher on the UH-1B/UH-1C "Huey".

M60A1 Reflex Sight. The M60A1 was a collimated reticle pilot's sight for use with fixed forward firing guns and rockets on the UH-1B, UH-1C, and UH-1M "Huey". The M60A1 was used with the M16 and M21 armament subsystems. The M60A1 was type classified Standard A.
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XM60 reflex sight on UH-1C (pilot's sight) (Copyright Jim McDaniel, 174th Assault Helicopter Co.)
Blue arrow Flexible reflex sighting station (gunner's sight) (Copyright Jim McDaniel, 174th Assault Helicopter Co.)
Blue arrow Gunner's flexible reflex sight and pilot's sight in stowed position(Copyright Butch Lottman)

XM70/XM70E1 Sight. The XM70 was a collimated reticle image pilot's sight for use with the XM8 and M27 armament subsystems used on the OH-6A Cayuse and OH-58A Kiowa light observation helicopters (LOH) and with the M11 rocket launcher on the UH-1 "Huey". It was mechanically driven in elevation. The XM70E1 sight was modified with an azimuth adjustment. Both the XM70 and XM70E1 saw limited production.
Blue arrow
XM70E1 collimated reticle image sight

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M73/M73E1 Reflex Sight. The M73E1 sight consisted of a sight assembly and a tilting reflector head and support mounted to a rigid bracket located over the centerline of an AH-1G "Huey" Cobra. The M73E1 was used for sighting rockets, fixed forward firing guns, and flexible turret weapons. The sight body contained a day/night reticle and a collimating lens system rigidly held in alignment and focus. The M73 sight was used with all AH-1 series Cobras, except for the AH-1F Modernized Cobra, which uses the M76 Head-Up Display (HUD) subsystem. The M73 was type classified Standard A.
Blue arrow Reticle on M73 reflex sight

XM76 Sighting System. The XM76 antioscillation sighting system is a hand-held image stabilizing monocular with associated power supply. It was designed to compensate for vibrations normally experienced with conventional hand-held viewing devices used in aircraft during flight. The XM76 was used with the OH-23 Raven, the UH-1 "Huey" and the OH-6A Cayuse.

XM110 Helmet Sight. The XM110 was a Research and Development project for a helmet sight for use on the AH-56A Cheyenne that permitted the pilot to align the nose turret, belly turret, and/or the XM112 swiveling gunner's station with a selected target. The system consisted of a helmet sight and sensor assembly, two light source assemblies, and a sensor electronic assembly.

XM112 Swiveling Gunner's Station. The XM112 was a Research and Development project for use with the AH-56A Cheyenne to supplement the copilot/gunner's normal field of view with a periscopic view of nearly the entire hemisphere below the aircraft. The station was equipped with a wide-angle optical display sight and periscope that permitted rapid target identification and acquisition. The station could be rotated in azimuth and was space-stabilized to permit the gunner to concentrate on a given target area completely independent of aircraft motion. The XM112 was used with the AN/AAS-25 FLIR, the XM110 helmet sight, the XM113 stores panel, and the XM114 reflex sight.

XM113 Control Panel. The XM113 external stores control panel was a Research and Development project for use on the AH-56A Cheyenne to provide a method of selecting and arming the 2.75 inch rocket system or droppable stores. It controlled the amount, sequence, and interval for release of rockets or stores.

XM114 Reflex Sight. The XM114 was a Research and Development project to provide an optical sighting reference for forward firing and for boresighting the pilot's helmet sight on the AH-56A Cheyenne. The direct sight was caged when used for direct fire and uncaged when used for firing 2.75 inch rockets.

OS-1115 Intervalometer. The OS-1115 intervalometer provided electronically sequenced rocket launching of 2.75 inch rockets from seven-tube or 19-tube rocket launchers on the AH-1G "Huey" Cobra. The intervalometer could arms, sequence, space firing intervals, and safe rockets electronically. It kept track of which rockets had been fired and initiated a new firing sequence starting with the next unfired rocket. Safing was provided by shorting each squib to ground through relay contacts. Two intervalometers were required for use with each pair of rocket launchers. The OS-115 intervalometer was a component of the XM119 rocket control and display subsystem.

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XM119 Rocket Control and Display Subsystem. The XM119 was a Research and Development project for firing the 2.75 inch rocket system on the AH-1G "Huey" Cobra. The system had a 76 rocket capacity and permitted selection of any of four types of rocket warheads and recorded type and quantity of remaining rockets on a visual display. The XM119 was used with the XM157/XM158 seven-tube and XM159/XM200 19-tube rocket launchers.

FIRE CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (listed by common name)

CONFICS (AH-1G Cobra). The CONFICS (Cobra Night Fire Control System) was developted under the Ensure 100 program to provide the AH-1G "Huey" Cobra with a night vision capability. It was a low-light-level TV system used for target acquisition and fire control during night operations. The system was integrated with the optical sighting station of the M28A1 armament subsystem. This allowed the copilot/gunner to operate the system and the M28A1, with target acquisition and fire direction accomplished by making reference to the TV monitor.

INFANT (UH-1M "Huey"). The Hughes INFANT (Iroquois Night Fighter and Night Tracker) was developed for the U.S. Army Southeaast Asia Night Operations (SEA NITEOPS) program office. INFANT used a low-light-level TV (LLLTV) and Infrared searchlights for targeting of ground targets during night operations. The LLLTV was installed beneath the nose of the aircraft and was thought to be capable of seeing men and equipment under starlight or moonlight conditions. The INFANT was used on the UH-1M "Huey" to aim a modified M21 armament subsystem.

Mast Mounted Sight (OH-58D Kiowa Warrior). The Mast Mounted Sight (MMS) is one of the key components of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Its day/night capabilities allow the crew to scan the battlefield and acquire, identify, and locate potential targets. The MMS System Processor (MSP) enables the Warrior crew can keep the aircraft masked, acquire a threat aircraft flying while blacked-out, and track it using the Mast Mounted Sight. The pilot can then orient his weaponry on the target, unmask, and fire before the threat aircraft can detect the Warrior. The MMS is type classified Standard A.
Blue arrow OH-58D Mast Mounted Sight (MMS)

SMASH (AH-1G Cobra). The SMASH (Southeast Asia Multi-Sensor Armament Subsystem for "Huey" Cobra) consisted of a podded Moving Target Indicator Radar, AN/APQ-137 attached to the outboard right wing bomb shackles, and a AN/AAQ-5 Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) mounted on the nose. These sensors provided the Cobra with the capability of detection, identification, and targeting of ground targets during day or night operations. The AH-1G SMASH could be used to direct fire of the M28A1 7.62mm "minigun" and 40mm grenade launcher, the M195 20mm automatic gun on the M35 armament subsystem, and the seven-tube M158/M158A1 or 19-tube XM159/XM200 2.75 inch rocket launchers.

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Revised05 Oct 2005.
 

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