Army Flies OH-58F Rethinks Armed Aerial Scout

摘要

A U.S. Army-integrated upgrade for the Bell 0H-58D Kiowa Warrior has entered flight-testing as the service surprised industry by declaring that no off-the-shelf (OTS) candidate can meet its requirements for the replacement Armed Aerial Scout (AAS). The first OH-58F flew at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., on April 26. The cockpit is modernized, the sensor is moved to under the nose from above the rotor, and weight is reduced by more than 150 Ib., restoring some performance lost to weight growth. OH-58Ds modified to Fs under the cockpit and sensor upgrade program (Casup) are now expected to remain in service to 2036, beyond the originally planned 2025, pending an Army decision on whether to replace the aircraft.