McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender

McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender
MD 500 Defender
An NH-500E2 license built by Breda Nardi NH for the Italian Air Force
Role Light multi-role helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Hughes Helicopters
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
First flight 1976
Primary users Republic of Korea Army
Iraqi Air Force
Israeli Air Force
Philippine Air Force
Number built 471~
Developed from MD Helicopters MD 500

The McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems MD 500 Defender is a light multi-role military helicopter based on the MD Helicopters MD 500 light utility helicopter.

Contents

Design and development

The original OH-6 Cayuse helicopter proved its worth during the Vietnam War in the light helicopter role. The designers at Hughes realized there was a market for a light multi-mission helicopter with an improved equipment fit than the OH-6 and Model 500M. The resulting design was the Model 500MD Defender which first flew in 1976. It was tailored for specific roles including unarmed observation and an armed scout helicopter equipped with TOW anti-tank missiles. An anti-submarine version was developed with a search radar, magnetic anomaly detector and the capability to carry lightweight aerial torpedoes.

The helicopter was popular with customers like Kenya who could buy a capable anti-armour helicopter for less than half the cost of a gunship such as the AH-1 Cobra or the AH-64 Apache. Israel used the Defender extensively during the conflicts of the late 1970s and 1980s against Syrian armored forces.

The Defender was later built as an improved version as the MD530MG, with increased engine power, handling, avionics, and a redesigned forward fuselage. Later developments included a mast mounted sight (MMS).

Variants

500D Scout Defender
Armed reconnaissance version
500M Defender
Military export version of the 500 and 500C, built under licence by Kawasaki in Japan (as the OH-6J)[1] and Breda Nardi in Italy.
500M/ASW Defender
Export version for the Spanish Navy.
NH-500M Defender
Italian-built version of the 500M Defender. Licensed by Breda Nardi before merge with Agusta.[2]
500MD Defender
Military version of the 500D.
500MD/ASW Defender
Maritime version of the 500MD Defender.
500MD/TOW Defender
Anti-tank version of the 500MD Defender, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
500MD/MMS-TOW Defender
Anti-tank version, fitted with a mast-mounted sight, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
500MD Quiet Advanced Scout Defender
Fitted with noise suppression equipment.
500MD Defender II
Improved version.
500MG Defender
Military version of the 500E.
520MG Defender
Philippine military version.
520MK Black Tiger
South Korean-built military version, built by Korean Air Aerospace Division[3], Korean Air's aerospace division from 1976 to 1984 with 200 choppers made.[4] 50 were armed with TOW anti-tank missiles and 150 choppers used for transportation and support duties[4].
530MG Defender
Military version of the 530F.
MD530 Nightfox
Night attack version.
MD530MG Paramilitary Defender
Police or border patrol version.

Operators

 Bolivia
  • Bolivian Air Force
 Chile
 Colombia
 Iraq
 Israel
 Kenya
 South Korea
 Mexico
 Morocco
 Philippines
  • Philippine Air Force the 18th "Falcons" and 20th "Firebirds" Attack Squadrons operates 20+ x 520MG
 Republic of China (Taiwan)
  • Republic of China Navy, 12 500MD/ASW were ordered for anti-submarine warfare. 3 were lost in crashes. One additional unarmed unit was ordered as a trainer.[5]
 Spain
 South Africa

Specifications (500MD)

McDONNELL DOUGLAS DEFENDER 500.png

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1-2
  • Capacity: 4-5 passengers
  • Length: 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
  • Disc area: 544.63 ft² (50.60 m²)
  • Empty weight: 1,320 lbs (599 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 3,000 lbs (1361 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × One Allison 250-C20B Turboshaft, 420 hp (313 kW)

Performance

Armament

  • four TOW anti-tank missiles, or
  • two 7.62mm General Electric M134 Miniguns, or
  • four General Dynamics Stinger air-to-air missile, or
  • Mk 44 or Mk 46 lightweight torpedoes (ASW Version), or
  • two seven-shot rocket pods

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ^ Frawley, Gerard: The International Directory of Military Aircraft, page 97. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2
  2. ^ The MD Helicopters MD-500/530. Retrieved on January 16, 2008.
  3. ^ Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAA) Retrieved on January 9, 2008.
  4. ^ a b OH-6A Cayuse, AH-6J Little Bird and Defender 500 specs. Retrieved on January 9, 2008.
  5. ^ "Hughes 500MD/ASW Defender". Wei-Bin Chang. http://www.taiwanairpower.org/navy/500md.html. Retrieved January 12, 2009. 

External links


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