The importance of helicopters in a combat role was fully realized in the Vietnam War, and since then, these rotor-based aircraft have played important parts in conflicts around the world. Helicopters fulfill a variety of roles, whether combat or logistical, but combining these roles utilizes their full potential. Helicopter gunships serve in both roles, transporting troops and laying down fire when necessary — and they are an integral part in most modern military operations. (These are the 25 helicopters of the Vietnam War.)
Helicopter gunships differentiate from dedicated attack helicopters in that they are also capable of carrying troops, ordnance, and sometimes vehicles while protecting their package with a series of armaments. Some have equated gunship types of helicopters to flying tanks with their firepower.
To identify the gunship helicopters of the modern era, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of military helicopters from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ordered these helicopters chronologically and included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding the type of helicopter, year introduced, country of origin, manufacturer, top speed, and armament.
The UH-60 Black Hawk is by far one of the most popular and prolific military helicopters in the world. It plays a variety of roles, including that of a gunship. Sikorsky Aircraft introduced these helicopters in 1979, and the Black Hawk continues to serve as a staple of the U.S. Army and many other militaries around the world.
Black Hawk helicopters are typically outfitted with a series of machine guns and are capable of carrying Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles as well. Special forces outfits have different armaments for their operational needs. (These are America’s most elite special forces.)
Here is a look at the gunship helicopters of the modern era:
H-19 Chickasaw
- Type: Multirole transport utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1950
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 101 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm medium machine guns, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, rocket pods
Mil Mi-4 (Hound)
- Type: Multirole utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1953
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
- Top speed: 115 mph
- Armament: Rocket pods, conventional drop bombs
H-21 Workhorse
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Tandem-rotor transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1953
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Piasecki Helicopter / Boeing
- Top speed: 127 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
H-34 / CH-34 Choctaw
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Close-support / transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1954
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 173 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm M60C general purpose machine guns, rocket pods
Alouette II
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1957
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
- Top speed: 115 mph
- Armament: Anti-tank guided missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes
UH-1 Iroquois (Huey)
Source: cak757 / Flickr
- Type: Multirole / utility / attack / transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1959
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 137 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Mk 44/46 torpedoes, rocket pods, various air-to-surface missiles, various anti-tank missiles, automatic cannons, 12.7mm GAU miniguns
Alouette III
- Type: Light mutlirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1960
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
- Top speed: 130 mph
- Armament: 20mm cannon, 7.62mm machine gun, AS.11 anti-tank missiles, Mk 44 torpedoes
SH-3 Sea King
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Anti-submarine warfare helicopter
- Year introduced: 1961
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 166 mph
- Armament: Mk 44 / 46 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, depth charges, 7.62mm machine guns
UH-1B/C Huey Cobra / Frog
- Type: Gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 1962
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 95 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, miniguns, rocket pods, 40mm automatic grenade launcher
Model 207 (Sioux Scout)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light armed scout helicopter
- Year introduced: 1963
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 109 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm M60 machine guns, SS 10 anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods
Z-5
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Transport / utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1965
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Harbin
- Top speed: 130 mph
- Armament: Machine guns, rocket pods, machine gun pods
Mil Mi-2 (Hoplite)
Source: clemensv / Flickr
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1965
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mil Helicopter Plant
- Top speed: 124 mph
- Armament: 23mm automatic cannons, rocket pods, anti-tank guided missiles, air-to-air missiles
Mil Mi-8 (Hip)
![Mil Mi-8 Hip [unmarked] by Alan Wilson](https://247wallst.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/imageForEntry13-Dyb.jpg "Mil Mi-8 Hip [unmarked] by Alan Wilson")
- Type: Multirole medium-lift helicopter
- Year introduced: 1967
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
- Top speed: 162 mph
- Armament: Rocket pods, Swatter missiles, Sagger missiles, Phalanga missiles, 12.7mm machine gun, cannon pods
Model 212
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Medium-lift utility / transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1968
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 140 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, rocket pods
SA 330 Puma
- Type: Medium transport / assault helicopter
- Year introduced: 1969
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
- Top speed: 170 mph
- Armament: Machine gun pods, cannon pods
Bo 105 (MBB)
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1970
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: Airbus Helicopters
- Top speed: 152 mph
- Armament: HOT / HOT2 anti-tank missiles, TOW anti-tank missiles
SA342 Gazelle
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Lightweight multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1973
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
- Top speed: 165 mph
- Armament: HOT anti-tank missiles, Mastra Mistal missiles, rocket pods, 7.62mm machine guns, 20mm GIAT autocannon
Mil Mi-24 (Hind)
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Armed assault gunship / attack helicopter
- Year introduced: 1973
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
- Top speed: 208 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 23mm/30mm cannons, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, machine gun pods, cannon pods, conventional drop bombs
AW109
- Type: Multirole utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1976
- Country of origin: Italy
- Manufacturer: Leonardo
- Top speed: 177 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, TOW anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, machine gun pods
S-76
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1977
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 180 mph
- Armament: Machine gun pods, rocket pods, cannon pods
AW159 (Lynx / Super Lynx)
- Type: Multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1978
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Manufacturer: Leonardo-Finmeccanica
- Top speed: 158 mph
- Armament: TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, 20mm automatic cannon, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, 7.62mm general purpose machine guns
UH-60 Black Hawk
- Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1979
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 183 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, GAU-19 12.7mm Gatling guns, M134D Gatling guns, FFAR rocket pods
Mil Mi-17 (Hip-H)
- Type: Medium-lift transport / gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 1981
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
- Top speed: 158 mph
- Armament: 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine gun pods, rocket pods, Shturm-V missiles
AS532 (Super Puma / Cougar)
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1982
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale / Airbus Helicopters
- Top speed: 170 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm gun pods, rocket pods, AM 39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, air-to-surface missiles
AS565 Panther
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1985
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale
- Top speed: 190 mph
- Armament: GIAT M621 20mm automatic cannon, rocket pods, AS 15 anti-ship missiles, HOT anti-tank missiles, 20mm cabin-mounted cannons, Mk 46 torpedoes
PZL W-3 Sokol
- Type: Multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1985
- Country of origin: Poland
- Manufacturer: PZL-Swidnik
- Top speed: 162 mph
- Armament: 23mm autocannon, rocket pods, missiles, cannon pods, 12.7mm machine guns
H125 Fennec (AS550)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1990
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Aerospatiale / Airbus Helicopters
- Top speed: 152 mph
- Armament: 20mm GIAT M621 automatic cannon, 12.7mm machine gun pods, 7.62mm machine gun pods, rocket pods, TOW anti-tank missiles
MH-60L DAP
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Special Forces gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 1990
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
- Top speed: 103 mph
- Armament: 30mm M230 chain gun, Hydra rocket pods, GAU-19 gun pods, M134 minigun pods, Hellfire missiles, Stinger missiles
Z-9 (Haitun)
Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Medium-lift transport / gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 1994
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Harbin
- Top speed: 190 mph
- Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, cannon pods, rocket pods, machine gun pods
CH-146 Griffon
- Type: Multirole utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1995
- Country of origin: Canada
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 162 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm C6 machine guns, 7.62mm Dillon Aero M134D miniguns
Z-11
- Type: Multirole light utility / attack helicopter
- Year introduced: 1998
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation
- Top speed: 173 mph
- Armament: CS/LM12 minigun, 40mm automatic grenade launcher, machine gun pods, air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs
AW101 Merlin (EH101)
- Type: Medium-lift / multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 1999
- Country of origin: Italy
- Manufacturer: Leonardo
- Top speed: 192 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, rocket pods, depth charges
Dhruv (Polaris)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Multirole medium-lift transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 2002
- Country of origin: India
- Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
- Top speed: 174 mph
- Armament: Anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods, torpedoes, depth charges, anti-ship missiles
Mil Mi-35 (Hind-E)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Heavy assault gunship / attack helicopter
- Year introduced: 2005
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
- Top speed: 193 mph
- Armament: 23mm twin-barreled cannons, air-to-surface missiles, anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, cannon pods
UH-1Y Venom (Super Huey)
Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Medium-lift utility / transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 2009
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 190 mph
- Armament: Hydra rocket pods, M240D general purpose machine guns, 12.7mm GAU-16/A Gatling guns, 7.62mm GAU-17/A Gatling guns
Mil AH-2 Sabre (Mi-35M)
- Type: Assault gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 2010
- Country of origin: Brazil
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
- Top speed: 193 mph
- Armament: 23mm twin-barreled gun, air-to-surface missiles, anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, cannon pods, machine gun pods
Rudra (ALH-WSI)
- Type: Gunship / Multirole military helicopter
- Year introduced: 2012
- Country of origin: India
- Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
- Top speed: 180 mph
- Armament: 20mm M621 cannon, Helina anti-tank missiles, MBDA air-to-air missiles, rocket pods, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes
KUH-1 Surion
- Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 2013
- Country of origin: South Korea
- Manufacturer: Korea Aerospace Industries
- Top speed: 162 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket pods
AW149
- Type: Medium-lift multirole helicopter
- Year introduced: 2015
- Country of origin: Italy
- Manufacturer: Leonardo-Finmeccanica
- Top speed: 173 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, rocket pods
Z-20
- Type: Multi-mission military helicopter
- Year introduced: 2018
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Harbin
- Top speed: 171 mph
- Armament: General purpose machine guns
V-280 Valor
Source: williamhc / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Tiltrotor technology demonstrator
- Year introduced: 2020
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
- Top speed: 265 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm heavy machine guns, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, 20mm cannon
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