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The AH-60L “Arpía IV” (english: Harpy eagle) is an interesting attack helicopter of the Black Hawk family developed by the Colombian Aerospace Force as an armed alternative for deterrence with the help of Israel and Sikorsky Company that uses a very diverse combination of modern weapons and systems to fight in conventional wars.
Tecnical Data
Basic Information
- Crew: 2 pilots/2 gunners
- Heigth: 5.23 m
- Length: 15.19 m
- Width: 2.96 m
- Empty Weight: 5376 kg
- Maximum Take-off Gross Weight: 9979 kg
- Internal Load: 1320 kg
- External Load (with ESSS): 3640 kg
- Power Plants: 2 T700-GE-701C Engines with 1940 hp each
Spoiler
Performance
- Max Speed: 285 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 268 Km/h
- Max Ceiling: 5700 m
- Service Ceiling: 4572 m
- Autonomy: 2 hours - 7 hours with externals fuel tanks
Integrated Avionics
ALL-IN-SMALL (Elbit Systems)
- RWR-LWS-MAWS-DIRCM
- HMI Management
- CFDS - Chaff/Flare Dispensing System
- AHFI
MFCD: 4 Multifunction Displays ARNIC
HMD: ANVIS/HUD-24 (NVG capability)
Datalink System
Electro-Optic Payload (EOP): TOPLITE III (FLIR-LRF-CCD)
Armament
General Dynamics GAU-19A
Spoiler
This three-barrel machine gun is mounted as a weapon pod on the Arpía IV, and is also installed on the sides and operated by gunners; is already included in the game.
Nexter NC 621
Spoiler
It is a 20mm cannon pod developed by the French company Nexter that contains 250 cartridges and a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute at a distance of over 2000m.
70mm Rockets
Spoiler
The Arpía IV has a dual system to LAU-19 to launch rockets (19 units each) of the following types:
- Skyfire-70 M1/M2
- FAT EMA-66
Air-to-Ground Missiles
Spoiler
For high-value targets, the AH-60L Arpía IV features missiles from Rafael Systems’ Spike family.
Spike LR: 4 km range
Spike ER: 8 km range
Spike NLos: 25 km (Upgraded to 32 km)
Armor
Spoiler
The Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC in Spanish) is developing the level 4 armor for the Arpía IV, with a steel sheet on the floor of the aircraft and armored glass.
History
Spoiler
Colombia is the largest operator of the UH-60 Black Hawk in Latin America and one of the largest in the world, with more than 100 units in service in the Air Force, the Army and the police. The first units were acquired in 1988 as part of the modernization of counterinsurgency capabilities with the S-70A series, and improved versions such as the UH-60L were gradually acquired and the S-70i more recently.
In 1995, due to the restrictions that the US government imposed on the sale of sophisticated weapons to Colombia and the need for an armed platform that would serve as an escort for the transport Black Hawks in the internal armed conflict, the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC) began the Project “XM95” converting the first UH-60L to AH version integrating 7.62mm GAU-2B machine guns pods and rocket launchers into the winglets, giving rise to the AH-60L “Arpía”.
This new modification of the Black Hawk was successfully tested in 1995 and entered service for escort and close air support missions for troops. In 1998, the experience of this platform laid the foundations for a later modification, called Arpía II that was introduced with new weapons and avionics systems: the machine guns were upgraded to 12.7mm GAU-19s were also installed in the doors increasing the helicopter’s firepower capability. The FAC incorporated NVG capabilities since 1992 in its BELL “Rapaz” helicopters, for this reason, the Arpía were equipped with the Anvis-5 NVG systems.
In 2002, the FAC appointed a commission to evaluate improvements to the Arpía II and signed an agreement with the American company Sikorsky and the Israeli company Elbit to develop the “Arpía III”. This development equipped the helicopter with new weapons delivery systems as well as modernizing the avionics with new equipment such as the MiDash HUD for pilots, introducing Toplit II electro-optical systems for target detection and engagement, and an missile self-protection system Airmor from the Israeli company IMI.
Finally, the FAC again appointed another commission to study a new update of the Arpía, and in 2015, the most modern and improved version was presented: the AH-60L “Arpía IV,” envisioned as a strategic deterrent and implementing a modernization capable of conventional warfare. The FAC currently operates 12 of these aircraft and is planning a new improved version with AA capabilities and improved armament, modernization described above at first.
Photos
Sources
Spoiler
Sikorsky S-70A: UH-60L Black Hawk Family – Igor I Sikorsky Historical Archives
https://www.fac.mil.co/es/node/47926
Fuerza Aérea Colombiana tiene listo ya su octavo helicóptero Arpia IV | Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana
La Fuerza Aérea Colombiana continúa con los ejercicios de entrenamiento de sus Arpía IV
https://www.elbitsystems.com/
https://www.rafael.co.il/
https://ciac.gov.co/