The MH/AH-6M Little Bird special operations helicopters were among the standout players in the operation that the U.S. Armed Forces carried out just over a day ago to rescue the second crew member of an F-15E that had been shot down in Iran. The small helicopters, also known as “Killer Eggs,” once again demonstrated their flexibility and ability to adapt to a highly demanding mission.
Citing U.S. officials, ABC News reported that four MH/AH-6 Little Bird helicopters took part in the rescue operation, aircraft that were used “to transport U.S. military personnel from the landing strip, where the MC-130Js had landed, to the mountainous area where the crew member was located…” The report does not indicate whether the helicopters were transported inside the Commando IIs or if they reached the forward operating base on their own.
The Little Birds, most likely operated by the U.S. Army’s 160th SOAR, better known as the Night Stalkers, transported U.S. special operations personnel for the extraction of the weapon systems officer (WSO) of the downed F-15E, who had managed to evade capture and reach a mountainous area. Various media outlets reported the participation of highly specialized units, such as the Navy’s SEAL Team 6 and the U.S. Army’s DELTA.
Once the MH/AH-6Ms completed the rescue of the F-15E crew member, the aircraft returned to the forward operating base where the two MC-130Js were waiting. However, neither aircraft could be used for the exfiltration, so a second wave had to be employed, possibly modified C295 medium transport aircraft configured for special operations support.
Like the MC-130J Commando IIs, the MH/AH-6Ms met the same fate: since they could not be recovered, the aircraft were destroyed by U.S. troops themselves in order to prevent their capture or any of their components from falling into the hands of Iranian forces. In the images released hours after the rescue operation had concluded, some charred remains of the Little Birds can be seen.
MH/AH-6M Little Bird, helicopters tailor-made
The MH/AH-6M Little Bird helicopters are aircraft tailor-made for the U.S. Army’s 160th SOAR, both because of the platform’s flexibility to incorporate new technologies and because of the performance it offers. Their capabilities could be seen a few months ago during the operation to seize the tanker Bella 1, where the MH-6Ms were responsible for inserting U.S. Navy special teams aboard the Russian-flagged tanker.
One of the standout features of the Little Birds, or Killer Eggs, is their ability to operate in confined spaces, such as mountainous terrain, for example. Their agility and flexibility surely allowed the MH/AH-6Ms to insert the rescue teams into a rocky area and then carry out the extraction of the downed WSO.
Their small size and modified main rotor, which can be folded, also allow them to be transported aboard ships and aircraft, as was possibly the case with the MC-130J Commando IIs. This type of deployment is carried out by the U.S. Armed Forces as part of exercises designed to test the aircrafts’ and crews’ ability to land in austere environments with minimal infrastructure requirements and maximum flexibility, a concept known as Agile Combat Employment (ACE).
It is worth recalling that this type of operation is by no means recent, nor is its execution under combat conditions. During the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, elements of U.S. special operations troops established forward operating bases so that 160th SOAR helicopters could operate for several hours against Taliban forces.
As an example, on November 13, 2001, Rangers and U.S. Air Force special operators established the Bastogne forward operating base/landing zone, from which two MC-130 Combat Talons operated. Each aircraft transported two Little Birds that operated in support of DELTA. An important aspect of the operation was the prior reconnaissance and work of the USAF’s 24th STS, tasked with ensuring that terrain conditions would allow MC-130 operations, in addition to providing security, among other responsibilities.
As we detailed a few weeks ago, the design of the Little Bird “does not represent the state of the art in military aviation, as it is based on the veteran McDonnell-Douglas MD 530F helicopter. However, the ‘Killer Egg’ is part of that exclusive club of aircraft for which it is difficult to find a replacement, despite the passing of the years. It is an amalgam of the latest technology in avionics, communications, and electro-optical systems, combined with an extremely agile and flexible platform…”
The MH-6M Little Bird is the assault variant, capable of carrying up to six fully equipped soldiers on its external side benches, which can also mount stabilized weapon stations for armament such as machine guns or precision rifles. The AH-6M replaces the benches with weapon pylons, which can be configured with 70 mm Hydra or APKWS rocket launchers, M134 Miniguns, AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missiles, among others. In this way, assault and attack/escort pairings can be formed.
Following the conclusion of the rescue operation in Iran, the Little Bird adds another milestone to its long career. And it surely will not be the last.
Illustrative cover image. Credits: US ANG – Master Sgt. Phil Speck
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