A129CBT
Contents
Description
The A129CBT Mangusta is a rank VII Italian attack helicopter with a battle rating of 9.7 (AB/SB) and 10.3 (RB). It was introduced in Update "Hot Tracks".
General info
Flight performance
Outfitting the A129CBT with general payload options (Hellfires, rockets, air-to-air missiles) does not make the helicopter any slower than its adversaries, in fact at times you'll easily be one of the fastest helicopters on the battlefield. The A129CBT is able to do manoeuvres other helicopters can only dream about, even with full payload options. In Ground RB matches however, there should not be many times you'll have to move too much to avoid enemies. You are able to to get good positions thanks to your speed and at times, if done right, you will be able to dodge incoming missiles from ground anti-air or enemy jet aircraft.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | ||
| Stock | 269 | 253 | 5400 |
| Upgraded | 319 | 295 | |
Survivability and armour
The A129CBT is not very survivable. Like many helicopters above and below its battle rating, it is prone to exploding into many pieces after a hit from an anti-air missile. It does have some armour on the cockpit area, but in battles that won't really protect you from anything you'll face. The A129CBT uses Kevlar boron carbide, composite material which is limited only to instrument, floor and side panels around the cockpit. It does not provide the same level of protection as seen on other helicopters. If your enemy is not very accurate and manages to damage you without hitting key components of your helicopter, you might luck out and be able to make it back to the base to repair. It is advised that you stay away from machine gun fire too, generally just stay away from everything that poses a threat, this is the only way to truly maximize your survivability.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The A129CBT is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm M197 cannon, nose-mounted ball turret (750 rpg)
Suspended armament
The A129CBT can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 28 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x Mistral missiles
- 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
- 76 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x Mistral missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x Mistral missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x Mistral missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 2 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x Mistral missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
Usage in battles
Ground RB
The A129CBT is a great helicopter for its battle rating. Not only are there great line-up options to pair the helicopter up with, but you sit at a battle rating which allows you to be effective both in downtiers and uptiers. For Ground RB, it is recommended you bring in a light vehicle able to scout, with access to the "Air strike" modification. This will mean that once you have captured a point, and scouted a vehicle, you'll be able to get into the helicopter with Hellfires straight away if you happen to get knocked out early. This is the best strategy as if you manage to pull it off inside a match that has only just started, you will likely surprise unsuspecting enemies who might think it's still to early to worry about enemy aircraft.
For Ground RB, you have two options:
With enough spawn points, you can bring the best overall loadout for the A129CBT: Hellfires. With the Hellfires, you'll easily be able to pick off players from a distance. If spawning in during the early minutes of a match, the Hellfires will be a dangerous weapon for pretty much any enemy vehicle you'll be able to track. Do keep in mind who exactly you are choosing to engage, as you'll realise soon enough that killing a player with spawn points backed up will usually lead them to spawn in either as an anti-air ground vehicle or an aircraft. In that case you'll get overwhelmed with everything you need to watch out for, which will lead you to be less effective in the CAS department for your team. If you run out of Hellfires during your match, it is advised you return to base to get rearmed. If not, and you haven't had the chance to use your rocket pods yet, there can be situations where you'll be able to utilize them whilst still being useful to your team. With rockets, you'll need to stay low to avoid any incoming SPAA. Usually, sticking behind mountains or tree lines will suffice. Once you feel you've gotten close enough to the battlefield, it's time for you to come out, quickly find your targets, and engage. This might pose a challenge as the A129CBT lacks a ballistic computer. You'll need to quickly scan, engage and then disengage. If you feel as if you are still able to fight, you still have access to your main 20 mm cannon, which is able to be effective against lightly armoured vehicles.
For a first spawn, bringing AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles and Hydra-70 M247 rockets is the best choice. You won't be as effective without a ballistic computer, so bringing a full rocket load is unwise, unless you can be precise. This is where bringing the Stingers comes into play. Since you can't be fully functional with a full rocket load, the Stingers are great for hunting enemy first-spawn helicopters, specifically Russian helicopters. The Mistrals are a mixed bag with this helicopter; they may pull more Gs than the Stinger, but the Stingers are much more resistant to enemy countermeasures. The Mistrals will go right for countermeasures fired by, most frequently, enemies that get a laser warning or enemies with MAW systems on board.
This unearths a new playstyle for the A129CBT: playing tactically. You can bide your time and shoot down enemy CAS jets and helicopters that may spawn both early and later in the match, or you can fly around terrain, even capturing zones, supporting a team to a strategic point, and destroying ground targets with the sizeable amount of Hydras on board the helicopter. The A129CBT is very functional when supporting allied ground units right on top of them. Make sure not to put yourself into the fray and crosshairs of half the enemy team. To avoid this, fly up a bit as soon as you spawn. If you are prompted with a laser warning, dive while firing countermeasures. Use the thermal sight to determine where most of the enemy is going and where they will be, and who you can engage while taking as minimal fire as possible. Then, fly back down to the safety of the terrain and initiate an attack. For example, in Domination matches with three capture points, the amount of enemies at each capture point is rarely balanced evenly. This leaves you to attack the capture point with the least amount of enemies and potentially capture the point if the enemies are eradicated from said point.
The main problem with trying to engage at close range is that doing so in most cases will put the A129CBT in huge amounts of danger. Enemy tanks will be able to quickly destroy the helicopter with their main guns or machine guns, so it is advised that you only get into the actual battlefield near the end of the battle, once most threats you'll encounter will not be present, or at the very least, threats that can be dealt with safely. Survivability features of the A129CBT are poor. However, it does have access to IRCM and Flares/Chaff. Unfortunately, since it is impossible to mount both of them at the same time, you're better off mounting Flares/Chaff for defence against enemy SPAA with more modern technology, as most of them will not be affected by IRCM.
In Arcade Assault, you won't have to worry about going back to base to reload your weapons as they will automatically replenish once every munition has been used up. It's recommended you bring either Hellfires + rockets, or rockets + air-to-air missiles, or a full loadout of rockets.
Helicopter Battles
When playing helicopter battles, your best shot at staying alive and being effective is to bring a load-out of air-to-air missiles and rockets. The air-to-air missiles should be used against the more dangerous, unsuspecting helicopters, who don't have access to countermeasures. They can be easily taken down, and considering that you have 4 missiles at your disposal, that is a potential of 4 easy kills. With rockets, you'll be able to take out ground AI targets. Usually, they will take 1 or 2 shots at minimum to destroy. Rockets are also quite effective in close range as a last ditch effort to come out on top when fighting a 1v1. Your main 20 mm cannon is an absolute monster in this mode. Although it doesn't shine in Ground RB, here you'll be able to easily get kills with it. It does overheat however, so shoot with moderation and pick your targets whilst keeping any other nearby enemies in mind.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Very good and in most cases, unmatched manoeuvrability
- Respectable speed
- Deadly 20 mm autocannon
- Can carry AIM-92 Stinger or Matra Mistral air-to-air missiles
- Good anti-tank capabilities
- Functional in almost every lineup
- Has access to countermeasures
Cons:
- Very fragile
- Armament is very poor compared to other helicopters
- Lacks a ballistic computer
- AAMs launch downwards
- Impossible to mount Flares/Chaff & IRCM together
- No offensive belts for the 20 mm autocannon
History
The story of the A129 Mangusta "Combat", (also known as A129 ESS, A129 CBT and A129 Mangusta) began during the late stages of the Cold War. The helicopter began to be developed at the request of the Italian Army, whom saw the need to equip its air units with a dedicated attack helicopter with anti-tank capabilities. The A129 was the first dedicated attack helicopter fully designed and built in Western Europe. Its project began in 1978 and its final project was ready only in 1982. The A129 made its first official maiden flight on the 15th of September of 1983, at the Agusta company Cascina-Costa facilities. The flight lasted about 30 minutes. Agusta pilots were extremely happy with the results, and went on record and said that the helicopter had great handling. They had previously only performed shake down flights twice prior to the first official flight. It was given the name Mangusta by the Italian army and Agusta employees. This name was mainly chosen due to the fact that the A129 was a direct competitor of the Bell A-1 Cobra that at that time rivaled the Agusta project. (The mongoose is known for its ease in killing poisonous snakes).
One of the many characteristics that pushed the A129 Mangusta was also how versatile it was. It was able to carry many types of weapons, such as Hellfires, BGM-TOW, anti-tank missiles, Mistral/Stinger air-to-air missiles, 81 mm Medusa rockets, 70 mm Hydra rockets, and much more. At the time, the first variants of the A129 had access to the latest avionics, and incorporated both day and night capabilities and also was able to be used in bad weather, where there is low visibility. The testing and evaluation program lasted until mid-1987, when a production contract would be signed for that model, that would later generate several different variants during its career. That early version would only ever be seen with BGM TOW ATGM's and rockets. However, more armament options would be able to be fitted if needed.
Later down the line, Agusta had generated a lot of interest for this type of helicopter, so they developed a newer version of the A129 Mangusta in line with export market specifications and needs. This new version of the A129 would go under the designation A129 "International". The International went through several variations, each version had different armaments and engines fitted, such as one having access to the T800 engine, and different types of thermal imaging sights, a .50 cal turret, an enclosed 20 mm cannon, or what is now staple of the A129CBT, the 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon.
No country had decided to pick up the A129 International, however in 1986, the governments of Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an improved version of the A129, called the Joint European Helicopter. The memorandum called for the installation of more powerful engines, a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, better sensors, and more powerful weaponry, but the project collapsed in 1990, when Great Britain and the Netherlands decided to buy the American AH-64 Apache, while Spain opted for the joint made French-German Eurocopter Tiger. This however was not the end of the A129 International. Although it was not bought, everything that had been learned from that version of the helicopter would actually be re-utilized for an upgrade for the Italian Army's A129s. This lead to what we know as the A129 Mangusta "Combat" or "CBT" for short. The CBT was an updated version for the Italian Army, incorporating the same advances of the International version, A-129, where the avionics were modernized and the motorization kept original with Rolls Royce Gem 2-1004D's that produced a maximum unit power of 1120 HP. The Italian Army CBTs would be used in many theaters of war, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Italian Army CBTs did not go out of service. Instead, another upgrade program was made which gave birth to the A129 Mangusta "Delta". The Delta was presented in 2011. The "D" variant improves the armament and optics of the Mangusta, incorporating Israeli-made Spike fire-and-forget ATGMs. The A129 Delta will then go out of service and be replaced with an entirely new helicopter, called the A249.
Devblog
The modern A.129 attack helicopter is successfully used by the Italian armed forces, as well as by a number of foreign operators. The helicopter has excellent flight characteristics, outstanding speed and superb maneuverability. The CBT modification was created from combat experience in modern armed conflicts. The Mangusta is armed with a 20mm autocannon and carries a good arsenal of unguided and guided weapons, including Stinger air-to-air missiles and Hellfire II ATGMs.
Media
- A129CBT Devblog Images
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
| Agusta | |
|---|---|
| Utility | AB 205 A-1* · A.109EOA-2 |
| Attack | A-129 International (p) · A129CBT · AH-129D · T129** |
| Export | HKP3C |
| See Also | Bell Aircraft Corporation · TAI |
| *Licensed · **Partnership with TAI | |
| Italy helicopters | |
|---|---|
| Utility | AB 205 A-1 · A.109EOA-2 |
| Attack | A-129 International (p) · A129CBT · AH-129D · T129 |
| Hungary | ◔Mi-24D · ◔Mi-24V · ◔Mi-24P |
