General characteristics

• Crew: 2: pilot and co-pilot
  
• Capacity: up to 6 passengers for MH-6s
  
• Length: 32.6 ft (9.80 m)
  
• Rotor diameter: 27.4 ft (8.30 m)
  
• Height: 9.8 ft (3.0 m)
  
• Empty weight: 1,591 lb (722 kg)
  
• Useful load: 1,509 lb (684 kg)
  
• Max takeoff weight: 3,100 lb (1,406 kg)
  
• Powerplant: 1× One Allison T63-A-5A or T63-A-700 turboshaft, 650 hp (485 kW)- full rated power
  

• Power, derated: for takeoff: 425 shp (317 kW); continuous: 375 shp (280 kW)
  

• Fuselage Length: 24.6 ft (7.50 m)
  
• Fuselage Width: 4.6 ft (1.4 m)
  
• Rotor systems: 6 blades on main rotor, 4 blades on tail rotor
  
• Useful fuel capacity: 62 US gal (242 L) or 403 lb (183 kg)
  

Performance

• Maximum speed: 152 knots (175 mph, 282 km/h)
  
• Cruise speed: 135 knots (155 mph, 250 km/h)
  
• Range: 232 nmi (430 km, 267 mi) at 5,000 ft
  
• Service ceiling: 18,700 ft (5,700 m)
  
• Rate of climb: 2,061 ft/min (10.5 m/s)
  

Armament

• Guns: One 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 chaingun or Two .50 cal (12.7 mm) GAU-19 or Two 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 Minigun
  
• Rockets: Two 2.75 in (70 mm) Hydra 70 rocket pods
  
• Missiles: Two TOW anti-tank missiles or Stinger anti-air missiles
  

The armed variant is equipped with a lightweight universal mounting platform which can accommodate two M134 miniguns, two M260 7-shot Hydra 70 rocket pods. Alternately, the AH-6 can be armed with Hellfire anti-tank missiles, air-to-air Stingers, Mk-19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, or .50 caliber machine guns.*

Operators


United States

• United States Army
  
• FBI HRT
  

Variants
For OH-6 and TH-6 variants, see OH-6 Cayuse.

AH-6C
Special Forces attack version. Modified OH-6A to carry weapons and operate as a light attack aircraft for the 160th SOAR(A).
EH-6E
Special Forces electronic warfare, command-post version.
MH-6E
Improved attack helicopter used by US Army special forces units, and stealthy light attack and transport helicopter for US Army special forces units.
AH-6F
Special Forces attack version.
AH-6G
Special Forces attack version.
MH-6H
Special Forces version.
AH/MH-6J
Improved special forces transport and attack versions. Updated light attack helicopter based on the MD 530MG and equipped with an improved engine, FLIR, and a GPS/inertial navigation system.
AH/MH-6M
Also occasionally referred to as the Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB), it is a highly modified version of the MD 530 series commercial helicopter.^[5]
A/MH-6X
An AH/MH-6M MELB helicopter modified for use as a UAV. It builds upon experienced gained through development of the Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) Demonstrator, which is a civil MD 530F modified for autonomous UAV flight