little bird

As the battlefield is being rapidly modernized, the Army is desperately trying to keep its aging fleet of helicopters aloft and issue-free.

Following the deadly attack on a joint American-Kenyan base earlier this month, the Kenyan military just got several light scout attack helicopters. More specifically, the Kenyan military received 12 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior scout attack helicopters. The fuel tanks of the MD 530Fs can withstand direct hits from ammunition up to and including 7.62mm. Also the […]

Some sharp eyes over at The Drive recently spotted a modification to the MH-6 Little Bird helicopter in a USASOC-released video. The footage shows the Little Bird configured with external pods designed for ferrying special operations soldiers to their targets, but underneath one can see a rectangular attachment that appears to be an additional fuel […]

According to the U.S. Special Operation Command’s (USSOCOM) acquisition executive, James Smith, the unit’s Little Bird helicopters might be experiencing their final years as America’s light special operations helicopters. Smith made the statement during the NDIA Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium, which took place last February. He indicated that the most likely replacement for the venerable […]

An excerpt from my memoir, “Murphy’s Law“: Things took on a new level of cool when Little Bird helicopters showed up at our FOB one night. We were going to have one night of training for an aerial platform support mission, then, during the next period of darkness, we were going hot for a high-value […]

MH-6 Little Birds and MH-60 Black Hawks helicopters buzzed downtown Los Angeles this week as a part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) training exercise. Spectators observed the helicopters landing operators on building rooftops, then later setting down to pick them up at street level. Presumably, the training scenario involved the operators assaulting from […]

MH-6 Little Birds and MH-60 Black Hawks helicopters buzzed downtown Los Angeles this week as a part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) training exercise. Spectators observed the helicopters landing operators on building rooftops, then later setting down to pick them up at street level. Presumably, the training scenario involved the operators assaulting from […]

U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has big plans to upgrade its aviation capabilities. Just before 2018 ended, the Department of Defense (DoD) awarded two separate contracts to Boeing to upgrade and maintain America’s special operations helicopter fleet. The first contract Boeing was awarded was a $1.1 billion, seven-year contract to maintain SOCOM’s current fleet of […]

Editor’s note: Erik Meisner served in Attack Company, 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment as a rifle team leader with deployments to the Middle East, Central America and Asia. He is also a licensed pilot. The following is his breakdown of the footage below: This raw video shows how air assets can support ground forces in […]

NEW YORK – May 18, 2017 – The latest episode of SOFREP TV’s Training Cell focuses on combat training and readiness from the air. Veterans from multiple branches of U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) worked with fellow former SOF members and current instructors from Shooter Performance Institute and Last Shadow to refine their skills from […]

NEW YORK – May 18, 2017 – The latest episode of SOFREP TV’s Training Cell focuses on combat training and readiness from the air. Veterans from multiple branches of U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) worked with fellow former SOF members and current instructors from Shooter Performance Institute and Last Shadow to refine their skills from […]

The US Army plans to keep the famed MH-6 ‘Little Bird’ helicopter in service until “Future Vertical Lift aircraft” become available.  The light helicopters are used for special operations in the US Army and rose to fame in the movie Blackhawk down where it was used to support operators who were trapped in the city […]