Bell ARH-70 Arapaho

Bell Helicopter · United States · first flew 2006 · helicopter

The Bell ARH-70 Arapaho was a military armed reconnaissance helicopter derived from the commercial Bell 407, developed to replace the US Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. The programme was cancelled in 2008 after costs escalated well beyond initial estimates.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	10.57 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Bell 407-based armed reconnaissance helicopter for US Army ARH competition
Single turboshaft with four-blade rotor
Cancelled after cost overruns in 2008

Recognise as a militarised Bell 407 with a weapons pylon stub, mast-mounted sight, and military avionics fairing; the four-blade rotor and rounded fuselage are Bell 407 hallmarks.

Specifications

The Bell ARH-70 Arapaho has a length of 10.57 m (35 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.67 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 259 km/h (161 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The US Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter programme selected the ARH-70 in 2005, but Bell encountered serious cost and schedule problems during development. By 2008 the unit cost had more than doubled from projections and the Army cancelled the contract, leaving the OH-58D in service longer than planned. The cancellation was a significant setback for Bell's military ambitions.

Variants

A single development configuration based on the Bell 407; no production variants were completed.

Where you'll see it

Never entered US Army service; four prototype aircraft were flown during the evaluation programme.

Related aircraft

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