00:00 08 November 2011Missiles Procurement Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaisance
<P>In 1976, Hughes Aircraft rolled out a new product called the Defender - an export version of the US Army's OH-6 Cayuse. It quickly attracted orders from a variety of countries - including Iraq, Israel, South Korea and the Philippines - in the market for a gunship helicopter in a class below the <A href="http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en_US/Military/Military.html">Bell ­Helicopter AH-1 Cobra</A> and <A href="http://www.boeing.com/rotorcraft/military/ah64d/index.htm">AH-64 Apache</A>.</P> <P>Some 35 years later the Defender concept has been reborn - and significantly enhanced - in the <A href="http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=868">Boeing AH-6i.</A></P> <P>Hughes and later McDonnell Douglas sold 471 MD500 Defenders around the world. Those aircraft are now in need of replacement - and still the AH-6i stands alone in the class for a light, single-engine gunship. </P> <P> <TABLE style="WIDTH: 445px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=center border=0>