Lahatut
Contents
Description
The MD500-TOW Lahatut is a rank V Israeli attack helicopter with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Danger Zone".
The Lahatut was acquired by the IAF after the Yom Kippur War being a very attractive option to increase the number of attack helicopters in service at a relatively low cost. The IAF already operated the Bell AH-1 Cobra. The IAF purchased a total of 36 units, 32 after live firing trials in 1977 and 6 more in 1984 after the first delivery was completed. In IAF service the MD-500 was equipped with a turret mounted electro-optical sight and four TOW missiles, two on each side of the fuselage, although these could be replaced by rocket launchers. The Lahatut has been used in counterterrorist operations in Southern Lebanon and in raids in Palestinian territory. They also engaged Syrian armour at the Beirut-Damascus highway, in one of the largest tank battles in Israeli history.
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the helicopter behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | ||
| Stock | 223 | 210 | 3475 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | |
Survivability and armour
Examine the survivability of the helicopter. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical systems.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Suspended armament
The Lahatut can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 14 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
- 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 4 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
Custom loadout options
| 1 | 2 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydra-70 M247 rockets | 7 | 7 | |
| BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles | 1, 2 | 1, 2 | |
| BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles | 2 | 2 |
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in a helicopter, the features of using the helicopter in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".
Pros:
- Fast and nimble
- Has two types of ATGMs that are effective against armoured targets
- Customizable loadout
Cons:
- No machine guns or cannons, useless against enemy aircraft or other helicopters
- The ATGM range is limited to 3,750 m
- Low survivability
History
The Lahatut was introduced into the IAF service in 1977 after live fire trials. The helicopter proved very attractive for the IAF, because with it's small size and agility it filled a role that heavier attack helicopters like the Bell AH-1 Cobra couldn't fill. Not only that, the MD-500 only was 1/3 of the price of a Cobra, so it was a cheap way to increase the number of attack helicopters in service with the IAF. A total of 36 units were acquired, 32 after the fire trials in 1977 and 6 more after those 32 were finally delivered in 1984.
The Lahatut has served different roles in the IAF, however most of the time it was equipped with a turret mounted electro-optical sight and four TOW missiles. However this loadout could also be exchanged for 4 x Rocket Pods. The Lahatut was given to the Shooting Lightning squadron and participated in several combat scenarios. The Lahatut participated in raids in Palestinian and Lebanese territory. In the following years the Shooting Lightning squadron and their MD-500 helicopters helped as close air support in the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon.
When Syrian forces entered the fight in June 9th the Lahatut was the main helicopter used to deal with the Syrian armour in the Beirut-Damascus highway, a very large tank battle. The Lahatut not only was tasked with engaging Syrian armour and providing support to Israeli ground forces however, the Shooting Lightning squadron also used the Lahatut to destroy Syrian SAM arrays in Bekaa valley with a series of sorties flying low, close to the ground to destroy ground based radars that could be a danger for the fighter bombers in the area. A single lahatut was lost due to being discovered by a column of Syrian armour that fired shrapnel shells at the helicopter, causing it to crash. The Lahatut was retired from service by the mid 1990s. This was due to the arrival of more competent and modern helicopters like the AH-64 Apache and more modern Cobras, however it was retained for use in IAF flight schools to train new pilots until being fully retired shortly after.
Devblog
In 1975 the Israeli Air Force received its first batch of 6 American Bell AH-1G Cobra strike helicopters, previously used in Vietnam. Israeli pilots enthusiastically began to master a new type of military aircraft and nicknamed the American helicopters Tzefa - "Palestine viper" - after the largest poisonous snake in the region. A little later, the AH-1G was replaced by the AH-1S equipped with anti-tank missiles, and the Hughes MD500 TOW light helicopters, also equipped with ATGMs to destroy armored vehicles. Israeli attack helicopters received a baptism of fire in 1979 where they were widely used in battle in the First Lebanon War, showing a high combat efficiency. The last helicopters of the AH-1 series were retired from service in 2013.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the helicopter;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| McDonnell Aircraft Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | F2H-2 · F3H-2 |
| F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II | |
| F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E | |
| Strike Aircraft | AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| Helicopters | AH-6M |
| Export/Licensed | |
| Aircraft | ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV · Phantom FG.1 · Phantom FGR.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · Kurnass · Kurnass 2000 |
| F-15J · F-15J(M) · Baz · Baz Meshupar · F-15I Ra’am | |
| ▄AV-8B Plus | |
| Helicopters | Lahatut |
| The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation merged with Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Later it was merged with The Boeing Company in 1997. | |
| See Also | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
| Israel helicopters | |
|---|---|
| Attack | |
| MD 500 | Lahatut |
| Battle Hawk | AH-60 |
| Cobra | Tzefa D/E · Tzefa A · Tzefa B |
| Apache | Saraph · Peten · AH-64A Peten |
