Iraqi Bell 407 helo shot down near Tikrit

[Zarvan]

An Islamic State militant poses by the tailboom of a downed Iraqi Army Bell 407 helicopter. Source: Information Office of the State of Salahuddin
An armed Bell 407 JetRanger of the Iraqi Army was shot down near the central city of Tikrit, images posted on social media purportedly show.

Images posted by the Islamic State show militants at the site of the burned-out helicopter, which was said to have been shot down on 28 September. According to media reports, the two crewmembers were rescued by a second helicopter that was flying nearby.

The Iraqi Army operates approximately 24 armed Bell 407 helicopters, which it began receiving from the United States in 2010. At least one other helicopter was shot down by insurgents in October 2013, and others may have been lost also.

These armed 407s are equipped with a 12.7 mm (.50 calibre) machine gun, 70 mm (2.75 inch) air-to-surface rockets, and AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. In addition to this weapons fit, the helicopters are also be fitted with the L-3 Wescam MX-15Di forward-looking infrared sensor and laser designator.

The armed Bell 407 is one of a number of helicopter types that the Iraqi Army fields, with others comprising the Mil Mi-28N 'Havoc', Mi-35 'Hind', Aerospatiale SA 342M Gazelle, Bell UH-1H 'Huey', Bell 207, Airbus Helicopters EC635 (now designated H135M), and Mil Mi-8/17 'Hip'.

Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact




To read the full article, Client Login
(223 of 281 words)

Iraqi Bell 407 helo shot down near Tikrit - IHS Jane's 360

 

[bdslph]

that is a lot to lose