Photo: Bell
The Bell-made AH-1Z Viper is one of the fiercest war machines ever designed. Shaped like a helicopter, the aircraft has been in service since the 2010s, and even if it didn’t get to prove the full might of its capabilities in a full-scale war, it is still an impressive sight.
It was only earlier this week that the United States Marine Corps (USMC) announced that the Viper, together with its sibling the UH-1Y Venom, have exceeded the 400,000 flight hours limit together, and now we get another piece of intel about the iconic helo.
You see, a decade is a very long time when it comes to military hardware, and that means updates on the helicopter are already being performed. One such update targets the aircraft’s capability of establishing a two-way connection between a ground station and its networking systems.
Seen as a “gateway to share information across various networks“ and with various weapons systems, the tech was put through its paces and worked for the first time during a one-hour drill performed by the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21.
The digital interoperability suite that made information sharing possible this way comprises a new radio, processor, and mission computer software, All of these systems will continue to be tested throughout the summer, with the military targeting 2022 for integration in the AH-1Z fleet. The sister Venom helicopter would get the new capabilities as well.
The Viper is an attack helicopter suited for taking on targets both in the air and on the ground. It can be used either as an attack platform, for aerial reconnaissance, or even as an escort aircraft. It packs two Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and 16 air-to-ground ones. Its nose is where three-barreled rotary cannon is located, operated through a so-called Target Sight System.
You see, a decade is a very long time when it comes to military hardware, and that means updates on the helicopter are already being performed. One such update targets the aircraft’s capability of establishing a two-way connection between a ground station and its networking systems.
Seen as a “gateway to share information across various networks“ and with various weapons systems, the tech was put through its paces and worked for the first time during a one-hour drill performed by the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21.
The digital interoperability suite that made information sharing possible this way comprises a new radio, processor, and mission computer software, All of these systems will continue to be tested throughout the summer, with the military targeting 2022 for integration in the AH-1Z fleet. The sister Venom helicopter would get the new capabilities as well.
The Viper is an attack helicopter suited for taking on targets both in the air and on the ground. It can be used either as an attack platform, for aerial reconnaissance, or even as an escort aircraft. It packs two Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and 16 air-to-ground ones. Its nose is where three-barreled rotary cannon is located, operated through a so-called Target Sight System.
Google News