MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird
MD Helicopters · United States · first flew 1963 · helicopter
The MH-6 Little Bird is an exceptionally compact light helicopter used extensively by US Army special operations forces for covert insertion and extraction missions. Its small size and agility allow operations in confined urban environments where larger helicopters cannot venture.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Distinctive egg-shaped fuselage with thin boom tail |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tiny single-engine light helicopter with exposed bench seats on external pods
- Distinctive egg-shaped fuselage with thin boom tail
- Special operations favorite — often flies troops on external platforms
Identified by its very small egg-shaped fuselage, external seat platforms on the skids, and single main rotor with a small four-bladed tail rotor on the slim tail boom.
Specifications
- The MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird has a length of 9.8 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.18 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 282 km/h (175 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, the Little Bird was adopted by the US Army's special operations aviation regiment and gained fame during operations in Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and throughout the Global War on Terror. The 'Little Bird' designation covers both the MH-6 transport variant and the AH-6 armed gunship variant. MD Helicopters continued development after Hughes was absorbed by McDonnell Douglas and later Boeing.
Variants
The AH-6 attack variant carries miniguns, rocket pods, and Hellfire missiles, while the MH-6 transport variant features external bench seats for six soldiers. An unmanned version called the A/MH-6X has also been tested.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), known as the 'Night Stalkers', based in the United States.
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