US Special Forces Attack Helicopter
The AH-6J Little Bird is a light attack helicopter operated by U.S. Special Operations Forces, most notably the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR, “Night Stalkers”). Nicknamed the ‘Killer Egg’, it was developed from the civilian MD 530F to provide close fire support for special operations units.
The helicopter features a compact airframe constructed from aluminium alloys. The pilots are seated at the front of the cabin, with the avionics compartment located beneath the forward cabin floor and fuel tanks positioned at the rear. The AH-6J was the first Little Bird variant to introduce fully standardised equipment across the entire fleet.
In terms of armament, the AH-6J could be equipped with M134 Miniguns or GAU-19 multi-barrel machine guns, as well as Hydra 70 or FFAR unguided rockets mounted on external hardpoints. It was also capable of carrying AGM-114 Hellfire or TOW guided missiles. Thanks to its small size, the helicopter is highly manoeuvrable and capable of operating in confined environments, including landing on rooftops and other restricted areas.