HESA Shahed 278
HESA (IAMI) · Iran · first flew 2005 · helicopter
The Shahed 278 is an Iranian four-seat light utility helicopter with a composite airframe, drawing its dynamic components from the Bell 206 JetRanger family.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- JetRanger-style pod-and-boom on skids
- Two-blade main rotor with upper and lower tail fins
- Armed OH-78 carries nose gun and rocket pods
Look for a small JetRanger-like helicopter with a two-blade main rotor, slender tail boom and skid landing gear. Upper and lower fins sit at the tail, and armed examples carry external gun and rocket fittings.
Specifications
- The HESA Shahed 278 has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.2 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 240 km/h (149 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 (plus up to 3).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Design is credited to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with series manufacture handled by HESA as a development of the earlier Shahed 274. Flight testing was reported around the middle of the 2000s. The composite fuselage marked a step up from its metal-bodied predecessor.
Variants
The baseline 278 serves civil and utility duties, while the armed OH-78 adds a nose-mounted heavy machine gun and rocket pods for the scout role. Later airframes grew heavier with a glass cockpit and increased take-off weight. Production has been modest, numbering only a handful of confirmed machines.
Where you'll see it
The type has no UK connection and is flown in small numbers by Iranian military and state operators for observation, liaison and light transport. It has appeared in environmental-protection and internal-security roles. Confirmed airframes remain few, reflecting limited output.
Related aircraft
- HESA Saeqeh
- HESA Shahed 274
- Guimbal Cabri G2
- AgustaWestland AW109S Grand
- Airbus Helicopters UH-72 Lakota
- Bell ARH-70 Arapaho
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