The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
Proven in combat all over the world, the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior offers everything your mission requires in a scout helicopter: long-range day and night target acquisition, multi-purpose quick-change kits, and multiple armaments with low infrared and acoustic signatures. The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior will also be fielding Level II MUM-O later this year. If the mission calls for truly exceptional warfighting capabilities, the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is always ready to answer the call.
History Overview of OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
Built to be at the tip of the spear, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is one of the most rugged aircraft in today’s fleet. Yet it is also built to be readily supported. With its highly effective air filtration system and its 30-minute run dry drive system components, the Kiowa Warrior can operate in any environment.
OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is the Best, Because it is Supported by the Best.
With fleet readiness rates at over 85% Mission Capable in one of the harshest environments in the world, there is no doubt the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is supported by some of the best maintainers in today’s Army. Keeping the KW fleet flying, and the Cav Pilots safe, these unsung maintainer heroes are deserving of our praise.
Current Mission: Conduct armed reconnaissance, security, target acquisition and designation, command and control, light attack and defensive air combat missions in support of combat and contingency operations.
OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is the Most Requested Close Air Support Aircraft in Theater
- Highest OPTEMPO: +85 hrs/mo per aircraft
- Highest Readiness Rate: +85% full mission capable
- Authorized Acquisition Objective (AAO): 368 aircraft
Current OH-58D Operational Status
- Over 750,000 Combat Hours
- Operational Readiness Rate above 85% — Highest in Army Fleet
- OPTEMPO greater than 85 hours / aircraft / month — Highest in Army fleet
Weapons
- M3P.50 Cal. Machine Gun
- 2.75” Rocket Pods (7 Shot)
- Laser-guided Hellfire Missiles
Survivability & Crashworthiness
Like no other armed reconnaissance helicopter in the world, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior survives combat with a countermeasure suite, which includes:
- Infrared seeker jammer
- Pulse and CW radar warning receivers
- Laser warning detectors
- Inherent infrared suppression
Mast-Mounted Sight
The mast-mounted sight enables the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior to fight both day and night, at the maximum range of its weapons systems – and with minimum exposure.
Systems inside the mast include:
- High-resolution TV camera for long-range, low-light target detection
- IR thermal imaging sensor for navigation, target acquisition at night or under obscured conditions
- Laser rangerfinder for precise target location and guidance of armament
- Boresight assembly for quick in-flight sensor alignment
Engine Transmission and Rotor
The Kiowa’s powertrain gives the speed, lift and maneuverablilty needed to endure battlefield conditions. Standard on the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior are:
- 458 kw (650 shp) Allison turbine
- “Ruggedized” transmission with a transient power capability of 475 kw (637 hp)
- Four-bladed main rotor system with all-composite, lifetime rotorblades capable of surviving in hostile environments
Cockpit Electronics
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior features:
- Video recorder for storing TV and thermal imagery from mission
- Cockpit playback capability
- Data transfer system with data-loading module for pre-mission storing of navigation waypoints and radio frequencies
- Night vision goggle flight reference symbology display
- Have-Quick UHF and SINCGARS FM anti-jam radio
- Displays to align and fire weapons systems
Technical Specifications
(standard combat configuration at 4,000 ft/1.2 km and 95ºF/35ºC)
| Cruise Speed with Weapons, Drag Limited | 95 kts | 176 kph |
| Range | 140 nm | 260 km |
| Hover Ceiling IGE at 15 deg C, MSL | 7,500 ft | 2,286 m |
| Maximum Endurance | 2.0 hours | |
| Seating | 2 crew seats in cockpit | |
| Weights | ||
| Combat Mission Weight | 5,200 lbs | 2,359 kg |
| Useful Load | 2,004 lbs | 909 kg |
| Maximum Gross Weight | 5,500 lbs | 2,495 kg |
| Powerplant | One Rolls-Royce 250-C30R3 turbine engine | |
| 750 shp | 559 kW | |
