MD Helicopters to Showcase AH-530 Block I Helicopter Fitted with New Avionics, Weapons System

MD Helicopters (MDH) will be presenting an AH-530 Block II precision weapons helicopter equipped with its new Integrated Avionics and Weapons System at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Denver, Colorado.

This helicopter, designed for training and combat roles, features reconfigurable avionics and mission systems aimed at enhancing mission effectiveness and situational awareness for light combat rotorcraft.

According to MD Helicopters President and CEO Brad Pedersen, the integrated avionics and weapons mission system for the TH/AH-530 is the result of collaboration between experienced ex-military pilots and leading weapon systems manufacturers. The system allows for easy reconfiguration, reducing the time needed to switch between mission requirements, including guided rockets and Hellfire laser-guided munitions.

The AH-530 Integrated Avionics and Weapons System allows for scalability between different weapon and armament configurations to meet specific mission demands. It combines commercial Garmin and Howell avionics with weapon system components from Moog, L3 Harris, Curtiss-Wright, and others. The system integrates various unguided weapons from Dillon Aero, FN Herstal, and modern guided and unguided weapons.

For the AH-530 Block II, enhancements include the Moog Weapon Stores Management System (SMS) with laser-guided APKWS and Hellfire, Moog Weapons Control Panel (WCP), E-SIU Hellfire-configured stations, an enhanced stores management computer (E-SMC), and a laser arm panel (LAP). Additionally, it features a Curtiss-Wright mission computer operating an L3 Harris ForceX WIDOW mission management system (MMS), with redundancy in case of computer failure.

The TH-530 Training Helicopter serves as a platform for accurate training that can transition economically into either the AH-530 attack helicopter or the AH-530 Block II precision weapons helicopter. The AH-530 is designed as an agile, unguided weapon attack helicopter, while the AH-530 Block II offers capabilities comparable to larger precision attack helicopters but in a smaller, more agile package.