Modern warfare has been defined in large part by helicopters due to their versatility and firepower. They fill a variety of roles outside of combat including transport, reconnaissance as well as search and rescue. However, on the battlefield, many of these helicopters are meant for combat in varying capacities.

Some helicopters are meant to directly engage with enemy forces and take out targets, while others need to supply covering fire while transporting troops. As such the design and function of these helicopters vary, where some might be able to carry Hellfire anti-tank missiles and others just heavy machine guns.

One of the most iconic attack helicopters in service of the U.S. military is the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The AH-64 is outfitted with a 30mm Hughes cannon standard in a traversing chin-mounted position. It can be equipped with a series of missiles including anti-tank Hellfire missiles, air-to-air Sidewinder missiles, or Stinger anti-air missiles. (These countries have the most Apache attack helicopters.)

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look combat helicopters in the U.S. military. To identify the most heavily armed combat helicopters currently in service, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these helicopters according to their armament. We included supplemental information regarding type, year introduced, and top speed.

The United States, recognized as one of the world’s most powerful military nations, boasts the largest fleet of military helicopters, attack helicopters in particular. To a degree, this is a reflection of its superior military infrastructure and technological prowess. (These are the future military helicopters of the world.)

Here is a look at the most heavily armed combat helicopters in the U.S. military:

Why Are We Covering This?

Military helicopters play an important role in modern military operations. Understanding what the United States has in its arsenal further explains its military capabilities.

15. MH-139 Grey Wolf

• Type: Multi-mission medium-lift helicopter
• Year introduced: 2021
• Top speed: 202 mph
• Armament: Pintle-mounted machine guns of various calibers
• Variants:
• Active in military: 4

14. Bell 407

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1996
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: Machine gun pods, rocket pods
• Variants:
• Active in military: 10

13. Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

• Type: Tiltrotor VTOL aircraft
• Year introduced: 2007
• Top speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns
• Variants: CV-22, MV-22
• Active in military: 367

12. Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 2007
• Top speed: 167 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns
• Variants: H145 (UH-72A/B)
• Active in military: 483

11. MH-53E Sea Dragon

• Type: Heavy-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1966
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
• Variants:
• Active in military: 26

10. Boeing CH-47 Chinook

• Type: Medium-lift tandem rotor helicopter
• Year introduced: 1962
• Top speed: 180 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, miniguns
• Variants: CH-47D/F/MH-47G
• Active in military: 510

9. Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion

• Type: Super heavy-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1981
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm heavy machine guns, 12.7mm GAU-21 miniguns
• Variants:
• Active in military: 135

8. Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion

• Type: Heavy-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 2018
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm heavy machine guns, 12.7mm GAU-21 miniguns
• Variants:
• Active in military: 11

7. Mi-8/17 Hip

• Type: Multirole medium-lift helicopter
• Year introduced: 1967
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: Rocket pods, Swatter missiles, Sagger missiles, Phalanga missiles, 12.7mm machine gun, drop bombs, gun pods, cannon pods
• Variants: Mi-8, Mi-17
• Active in military: 10

6. Airbus H125

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1990
• Top speed: 152 mph
• Armament: 20mm automatic cannon, 7.62mm machine gun pods, 12.7mm machine gun pods, 70mm rocket pods, 68mm rocket pods, BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles
• Variants: H125, AS350
• Active in military: 1

5. MH-6 Little Bird

• Type: Light attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1980
• Top speed: 175 mph
• Armament: 30mm automatic cannon, 12.7mm gatling guns, 7.62mm miniguns, rocket pods, Hellfire missiles, TOW missiles, Stinger missiles
• Variants: MD500 (AH/MH-6)
• Active in military: 47

4. Bell UH-1

• Type: Multirole attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1959
• Top speed: 137 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns, rocket pods, Sea Killer missiles, drop bombs, torpedoes, TOW missiles, miniguns, automatic cannons
• Variants: OH-58 Kiowa, UH-1 Iroquois, UH-1N Twin Huey, UH-1Y Venom
• Active in military: 230

3. S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year introduced: 1979
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, 12.7mm gatling guns, M134 gatling guns, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun
• Variants: HH-60G, U, W, MH-60G, EH, MH, UH-60, MH-60R/S, UH-60A/L
• Active in military: 2853

2. Bell AH-1Z Viper

• Type: Twin-engine attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 2010
• Top speed: 255 mph
• Armament: 20mm gatling-style cannon, Hellfire missiles, Sidewinder missiles, Hydra rocket pods
• Variants:
• Active in military: 176

1. Boeing AH-64 Apache

• Type: Two-seat attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1986
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 30mm automatic cannon, Hellfire missiles, Hydra rocket pods, Stinger missiles, Sidewinder missiles, Sidearm missiles
• Variants: AH-64D/E
• Active in military: 824

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