Tag Archives: OH-58

Prime Chance West?

Posted on by Leave a comment

Marine Corps AH-1Z Vipers of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367 “Scarface” execute flight operations aboard USS Canberra (LCS 30), showing off something which a littoral combat ship could excel at—providing a forward lily pad for maritime sea control.

A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopter, attached to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, is folded on the flight deck of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) as part of Navy-Marine Corps integration in the White Beach, Okinawa, Oct. 3, 2026. A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopter, attached to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, approaches the flight deck of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) while conducting flight operations in the Philippine Sea, Oct. 1, 2026. 

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) moors at White Beach, Okinawa, with a U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper helicopter, attached to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, aboard during Navy-Marine Corps integration, Oct. 3, 2026.

A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 364 (Reinforced), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies over Oahu, Hawaii, Oct. 7, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Fernando Cruz Martinez)

Canberra is working with DESRON 7 overseas.

“As the Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer squadron (DESRON) in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of assigned ships in the Southeast Asia area of operations.”

The Navy has a history of running “green” light attack helicopters from small decks, hosting Task Force 117/118 Army OH/AH-58C/Ds and AH/M-6 Little Birds operated as “Sea Cavalry” during Operation Prime Chance in the Persian Gulf (1987-89) followed by Desert Shield/Storm and off Haiti in Uphold Democracy.

US Army OH-58D Kiowa Warrior of TF 118’s 4 Sqn., 17 Cav., 18 Aviation Brig. “Thugs” overflying USS Curts (FFG-38). Academy model top box art.

Task Force 118, OP Prime Chance, a Navy FFG with A/OH-58D Kiowa embarked

With the Army giving all its Kiowas a dirt nap in without replacement, and the Apache just a beast, the Viper could be up.

The Marines have been using Vipers and companion UH-1Y Venoms in a series of very kinetic maritime interdictions in both the Middle East and Eastern Pacific. Perhaps LCS has found a mission it can do.

A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365 (Reinforced), Littoral Combat Force-24, flies over a vessel of interest being destroyed during a Maritime Interdiction Operation while in the Pacific Ocean, Sept. 05, 2026. The vessel of interest was boarded and cleared before being destroyed. U.S. military forces are deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in support of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, Department of War-directed operations, and the President’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking, deter malign actors and protect the homeland through continuous presence. (U.S. Marine Corps photo)

The lost Fast 50s of the Kiowa

Posted on by Leave a comment

Although the Bell Helicopter OH-58D Kiowa Warriors have been withdrawn (regretfully) from service, the air frame design dates back to Vietnam and had served the Army well for five decades. In its final form the Kiowa packed some serious hardware.

Originally part of the Army’s retired Avenger air defense system, the FN-made M3P .50 caliber heavy machine gun is a thing of beauty. We are talking about a 81-pound 12.7x99mm NATO BMG with a three-foot long barrel. Big deal right? Sounds like the standard M2 Ma Duece, right? Well this bad boy, instead of the M2s sedate and hypnotic 400-ish rounds per minute rate of fire, the M3P runs at up to 1100.

About three times faster…

This made the rapid fire .50, with its effective range on soft targets out to 3,000 meters and lightly armored vehicles at about half that, a sweet option to up-arm Kiowas headed to the sandbox.

In 2004 experiments with the M3P side-mounted on an OH-58 at Rucker were successful, leading to an Operational Needs Statement in 2007.

M3P .50 caliber machine gun on bell jet ranger FN test

M3P .50 caliber machine gun on bell jet ranger FN test

“The Avenger system was being phased out because there is no current air threat,” said Maj. Kirk McCauley, assistant product manager for Kiowa Warrior, PEO for Aviation in 2009. “They were being turned in and some 800 guns were being taken off and put in storage.

“The guns were in various stages of readiness. But they were also government-owned. Instead of developing something new, we decided to take a proven system and adapt it and save money.”

oh 58 with M3P .50 caliber machine gun

Once the machine gun was chosen, it needed a mounting system (platform) that would attach it to the Kiowa helicopter. The MOPP Shop competed with two military contractors in developing a mounting system.

“As work on a firing platform progressed, it became apparent to us that we weren’t so sure that the military contractors would have the platform that was needed for the job,” said Gary Henry, chief of the MOPP Shop’s Sustainment Support Division, Integrated Materiel Management Center.

“Through a combined effort, we came up with a platform to mount the gun on the Kiowa’s universal weapons pylon. Our platform design is solely based on the talents of the guys in our machine shop. Without that platform, our gun would not have been selected.”

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter systems repairer with Troop D, 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade loading hopper with 50 cal

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter systems repairer with Troop D, 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade loading hopper with 50 cal

The Kiowa’s M3P system uses the existing Kiowa Warrior ammo can, the Avenger feed chute and a simple, lightweight mount designed by the MOPP shop. The new mount attaches the M3P directly to the Universal Weapons Pylon (UWP) and eliminates a cumbersome gun cage assembly.

Test data from fielding with the 7/17th showed that the MOPP Shop’s mount and gun system was durable, reduced the noise level by 48 percent and dropped the weight of the system by 65 pounds.

OH-58F with M3P .50 caliber machine gun

OH-58F with M3P .50 caliber machine gun

In the end at least 380 M3Ps were fitted to the Kiowa fleet, and fired in excess of 100,000 rounds in theater, helping the Joes at the sharp end go home whole.

Now, the big 50s, like the Kiowa, are history. Hellfire and Griffin-armed UAVs will take their place, but neither of them can drop 750-grain incendiary tracer at 18 rounds per second with eyeballs on target in real-time.

2-6 Cavalry Squadron, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, B Troop flies near Seoul on a hazy day

2-6 Cavalry Squadron, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, B Troop flies near Seoul on a hazy day