avia.wikisort.org - Helicopter

The American Aircraft International Penetrator was a military helicopter prototype conceived in 1990 as a gunship conversion of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, aimed at ground insertion, close support and counter-insurgency roles.

Penetrator
Role	Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	American Aircraft International (AAI)
Number built	1
Developed from	Bell UH-1 Iroquois

Design and development

A single prototype was built in 1991 but the manufacturer never won any contracts for production. It was first designed by the American Aircraft Corporation (AAC) and was marketed by a separate company, American Aircraft International (AAI).[1]

The stated goal of the project was to convert existing Vietnam-era UH-1 airframes to upgrade them with modern armor and weapons systems, particularly targeting third-world militaries with aging fleets. This conversion could be performed at a fraction of the cost, much faster than ordering new aircraft. The Penetrator required a crew of four (pilot, forward weapons officer, and two rear-facing weapons operators) and could carry six to eight additional passengers.[2]

Operational history

The prototype aircraft was overhauled by Robert Laura and flying as of 2004.[3]

General characteristics Performance

References

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