They come in a variety of sizes and are often classified as medium-lift or heavy-lift cargo helicopters. Observation HelicoptersĬargo helicopters are specialized transport aircraft primarily intended to hold supplies and equipment. The Kiowa was introduced in 1969 and quickly became the preferred choice over the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse. During the Vietnam War era, the US Army frequently used OH-58 helicopters alongside Bell AH-1 attack helicopters. The firepower of the Kiowa made it suitable for a variety of roles, including close air support. However, unlike most other observation helicopters, it typically featured heavy caliber machine guns and an air-to-air missile. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was often deployed for observation and reconnaissance. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse and the Bell OH-58 Kiowa are dual-purpose helicopters, originally designed for observation and frequently used as light attack helicopters. The Soviet Air Forces and the US Air Force equipped the Sikorsky R-4 and the Mil Mi-4 with weapons, creating the first helicopters with limited combat capabilities.
Additional losses occurred during scouting missions conducted by the army and marines.īefore the introduction of light attack helicopters, armed forces mostly used helicopters for transport and recon. The air force flew 5.25 million deployments during the Vietnam War, losing 2,251 total aircraft, including over 100 helicopters. Out of about 11,856 helicopters deployed during the war, 5,607 helicopters were lost.
How many helicopters were lost in Vietnam?Īlong with significant losses of life, the Vietnam War resulted in the loss of military aircraft and equipment. During this period, over 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam and over 58,000 died. The United States began providing military support for the South Vietnamese in 1955. The United States used a variety of types of helicopters throughout the Vietnam War, as the conflict lasted for two decades.
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