The AH-56 Cheyenne was indeed an advanced attack helicopter developed by the United States in the 1960s. It was designed to be a highly capable and fast helicopter, incorporating innovative features such as a rigid pusher propeller and advanced avionics.
However, despite its advanced capabilities, the AH-56 Cheyenne program faced numerous challenges, including cost overruns and technical issues. The program was ultimately canceled in 1972 due to budget constraints and the changing military requirements of the time.
The AH-56 Cheyenne’s downfall can be attributed to a combination of factors, including its high cost, the changing strategic landscape, and advancements in other aircraft technologies. The Vietnam War also played a role, as the U.S. Army shifted its focus to more versatile and cost-effective platforms like the AH-1 Cobra helicopter.
While the AH-56 Cheyenne demonstrated the potential for a superior attack helicopter, the financial considerations and evolving military priorities ultimately led to its demise. Lessons learned from the Cheyenne program have since contributed to the development of subsequent attack helicopters, such as the AH-64 Apache, which has become a highly successful platform in service with the U.S. Army and other countries.
It’s important to note that my information is based on knowledge available up until September 2021, and there may have been further updates or developments since then. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the AH-56 Cheyenne or any other defense programs, I recommend consulting official sources, historical records, or reputable publications that cover military aviation history.
Introduce
In the first half of the 1960s, the US military began to realize the superior strike capabilities of helicopters, so they held a competition to build high-speed, fire-support helicopters for quick maneuvering on the battlefield. Several companies entered the competition, and Lockheed’s AH-56 Cheyenne as the star of the entire project. The AH-56 Cheyenne was a perfect combination of a light helicopter and an attack aircraft. It was armed with powerful firepower, allowing it to escort large cargo helicopter, to assist in ground attack and independent combat.
Design
At the time of its birth, the AH-56 had a completely different and unique appearance compared to any previous aircraft. The two-seat cockpit was positioned tandem, with the pilot in the rear and the gunner in the forward position, featuring an advanced navigation and fire control suite. The pilot had a helmet mounted sight system for aiming ωεɑρσռs. The Cheyenne was one of the first aircraft to be fitted with an integrated avionics system consisting of a communications, navigation and ωεɑρσռs suite.
Lockheed’s helicopter was slender in shape and highly contoured to bring out the most aerodynamic qualities of the design. Cheyenne had a top rigid main rotor, low-mounted wings and a tail rotor, but it also added a pusher propeller. This gave it a respectable speed. The engine was fitted behind the cockpit and fed by small intakes to either side of the main rotor mast and the single exhaust system facing aft.
Power plant
Cheyenne was powered by a General Electric T64 propeller shaft motor, producing 3,925 horsepower (2,927 kW). AH-56 could reach a top speed of 400 km/h (244 mph), cruise speed 361 km/h (224 mph), a range of 1,969 km (1,223 mi), service ceiling was 6,100 m (20,000 ft) and Rate of climb was 15 m/s (3,000 ft/min).
Armament
ധҽąքօղ turrets were mounted at the nose and the middle of aircraft underbelly. It could mount either a 40 mm grenade launcher, or a 7.62 mm minigun. The belly turret included a 30 mm automatic cannon with 360° of rotation.
Six external hardpoints were located along the bottom of the helicopter, with two under each wing and two on the fuselage under the sponsons. The two inner wing hardpoints could carry pods of three BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles. 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets in 7-rocket or 19-rocket launchers could be carried on the four wing hardpoints. The two fuselage mounts were dedicated to carrying external fuel tanks. The wing hardpoints were also plumbed to allow the carriage of additional fuel tanks if required.
