A.C.E. 2/ACE CD 2.iso/FILES/DOCS/GS2000D.LHA/Gunship2000Part2.doc1

Text File | 1994-11-27 | 137KB | 2,985 lines

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  | The LoOnS: Python  Wizz  The Guardian  PoB  Action Man  Chuck  T-Leaf  |
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                     Part 2
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         ;|                   PrOuDlY PrEsEnTs                          |,
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         /                 FuLl EnGlIsH DoCs FoR:                        \
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        . |        ->   GUNSHIP 2000 FROM MICROPROSE   <-               | .
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 Page 85
                               THE HELICOPTER
                               --------------

                           HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT

 Leonardo   Da  Vinci  is  widely  considered  to  be  the  "Father  of  the
 Helicopter".   In  the  late  15th  Century,  Da  Vinci developed the first
 theories  of  flight,  and designed a screw-like rotary wing.  Da Vinci had
 theorised  that  air  has "substance", or density, and that a lifting force
 could  be  generated  by  pushing down against it; it would, theoretically,
 bore through the substance of the air like an auger bit through wood.

 While  a  full-size  version  od  Da  Vinci's  helix never flew, some small
 working  models  were  produced.   The problems that faced Da Vinci's craft
 would confront every would-be-inventor of a self-propelled helicopter.  The
 power plant and structure of the aircraft needed to be kept low, the torque
 produced  by  the spinning propellors had to be counteracted, and the craft
 had to be controlled.

 The  next  significant step toward rotary-winged flight occured in 1783, at
 the  World's  Fair in Paris.  Two Frenchmen, Launoy and Bienvenu, created a
 toy  rotary-winged  craft  with four feathered propellors.  The propoellors
 were  placed  on  either  end  of  what  was  basically a stick, and turned
 independently of one another in opposite directions.

 The  toy,  driven  by  a  wind-up  bent-bow  system,  managed  to fly up to
 altitudes  of  seventy  feet,  and provided a great deal of inspiration for
 other inventors.  But they still lacked a propulsion plant strong enough to
 generate  the lift needed to get larger craft airborne.  It would be nearly
 another hundred years before inventors would have any significant success.

 In  1862,  another  Fronchman  named  Ponton  D'Amecourt  developed a steam
 powered  helicopter.   The  craft  had coaxial propellors, counter-rotating
 wings spinning about the same axis.  The helicopter's steam engine was made
 of  aluminium,  and  weighed  only  four pounds.  While the power-to-weight
 ratio  of the craft was still too low for it to get airborne, it bobbed and
 bounced  on  the  ground on the threshold of flight.  This alone encouraged
 inventors to continue.

 By  1870, an Italian inventor, Enrico Forianni, met with some success.  His
 steam-powered coaxial helicopter weighed only six and a half pounds, but it
 managed  to  fly up to heights of 40 feet and for a duration of 20 minutes.
 Rotary  flight,  albeit unmanned, was a reality.  But the hurdles to manned
 flight - the power-to-weight ratio and control of flight - still remained.

 The  first  breakthrough in manned rotary flight would not come until 1907,
 four  years  after  the  Wright  brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk.  The
 development  of  internal  combustion  engines had finally produced a power
 plant  with  a  sufficient  power-to-weight  ratio to be effective, and yet
 another  Frenchman,  Paul  Cornu,  set  out  to  take advantage of that new
 technology.

 His  craft had dual rotors, one placed forward and the other at the rear of
 the  fuselage.   Each  rotor  measured twenty feet in diameter.  The rotors
 were  connected  by  drive  belts to a 24 H.P.  internal combustion engine.
 For control of flight, Cornu had placed tilted vanes below each rotor.

 The  belts  slipped  and  the  rotors spun unevenly, but Cornu's helicopter
 became  airborne.   His flight was short, and he only managed to rise a few
 feet above the ground, but he had flown!

 Many other helicopter designs followed; but for the next ten years, few met
 with  any  greater  success  than  Cornu's.   Control remained the greatest
 problem.   And  while  World War 1 had a drastic effect on the evolution of
 the  airplane,  it  produced  few  advances  in  the development of powered
 rotary-wing flight.

 The 1920's saw two major steps forward in rotary wing aircraft design.  The
 first  was  in  1922,  when  Raul  Pateras, an Argentinian, built (with the
 backing  of the French military) a coaxial helicopter with controlled-pitch
 propellors.   The  controllable  pitch  of the rotor blades while in flight
 increased  the  manoevreability, and the craft also demonstrated the effect
 of autorotation - allowing the rotors to spin freely in unpowered flight to
 slow descent.

 Page 87

 The  second  major  step  forward came not in the form of a helicopter, but
 from an entirely different aircraft.  Juan de la Cierva, a Spanish airplane
 designer,  decided  to  investigate  rotary winged flight in 1924, and soon
 after unveiled an entirely new type of aircraft - the autogiro.

 Rather than using a powered rotary wing for lift, the autogiro has a freely
 rotating  overhead wing that is allowed to windmill.  The forward motion of
 the  aircraft  through  the  air, generated by the thrust of a conventional
 propellor,  causes  the rotor to generate lift.  Consequently, the autogiro
 cannot  hover; but it can take off and land in a substantially smaller area
 than  conventional aircraft.  In 1928, Cierva flew his autogiro acrosss the
 English Channel, attaining an airspeed of nearly 100 M.P.H.

 The  autogiro  found  its  way  into  the  hands of the military in limited
 numbers, mostly for evaluation purposes.  One was the first rotary aircraft
 flown  off  a  ship, launched from the carrier USS Langley on September 23,
 1931;  another  was  evaluated  by  the  Marine  Corps during operations in
 Nicaragua  in  1932.   Admiral Richard E.  Byrd used an autogiro during his
 exploration  of the Antarctic in 1933 and 1934, and the Army tested several
 autogiros between 1935 and 1938.

 Page 88

 But  all of these were "off the shelf" civilian models, and little more was
 done  with  the  craft.  Some military applications, such as anti-submarine
 warfare  and  artillery  spotting,  were  noted,  but there was little real
 interest in further development; its low payload capacity and its inability
 to  take  off  vertically  made  it unsuitable for what the military had in
 mind.

                                WORLD WAR TWO

 The   Second   World   War   accelerated  the  development  of  helicopters
 dramatically, especially in Germany.  The first truly practical helicopter,
 the  Focke-Achgelis  Fa61,  was  built for the Third Reich by Dr.  Heinrich
 Karl  Johann  Focke,  and  flew for the first time on June 23rd, 1936 (even
 though he had been marked by the Nazis as being "politically unsafe").

 The  Fa61 was a single-seat aircraft, with side-by-side three-bladed rotors
 and  a  conventional propellor for forward thrust.  Both the rotors and the
 propellor were powered by a single 160 H.P.  engine.

 The  craft proved difficult to fly at first; eventually, it was mastered by
 Hanna Reitsch, one of Germany`s most respected test pilots.  In February of
 1938  she  flew  the  Fa61  in  the  Berlin  Deutschlandhall  sports arena,
 demonstrating  the  helicopter's  incredible handling characteristics.  She
 later described the experience as "intoxicating".

 Reitsch  and  the  Fa61  went  on to set numerous records for rotary flight
 between  1937  and  1939,  proving  the practicality and reliability of the
 helicopter once and for all.  Among its records were a top speed of 77 MPH,
 a distance of 143 miles, and an altitude of 11,243 feet.

 While  Dr.   Focke did not intend the helicopter for military applications,
 the  Nazis  had other ideas.  Another German, Anton Flettner,designedd what
 is  considered  to  be  the  world's first military helicopter - the F1 282
 Kolibri.   The  Kolibri had twin counter-rotating propellers that turned in
 synchronisation, their planes of rotation intermeshing.  Flettner's Kolibri
 flew  for  the  first  time  in 1940, and by 1942 was operational on German
 airships  and  escorts  in  the  Mediterranean,  Aegean,  and  Baltic seas.
 Eventually,  a  modification  of  the  Kolibri  was used for anti-submarine
 warfare.

 Page 89

 Another  Focke  design,  the Fa 233 Drache, was the world's first transport
 heLicOpter.  The  Drache,  which  carried six passengers and cOuld carry a
 cargo  load  suspeNded  from  a  cable, waS tested extensively for use as a
 general  purpose  transport  for  mountain  troops.   Allied  bombing raids
 destroyed  all  but  seven,  and  by  1945 only three remained serviceable.
 These  were  formed  into  the  first  (and only) WWII helicopter squadron,
 Transportstaffel 40.

 While  more  Fa  233's  were built, only one additional helicopter was ever
 completed.   At  the  end  of  the  war,  only  two operational helicopters
 remained.

 In  the United States, Igor Sikorsky's Sikorsky Aircraft Company received a
 contract  from  the  U.S.  Army for a two-passenger observation helicopter.
 Sikorsky  had  earlier demonstrated a prototype helicopter, the VS-300, and
 the  success  of  that  aircraft had finally drawn the interest of the Army
 back to rotary-winged flight.

 In  January of 1942, Sikorsky's Army prototype, the XR-4 flew for the first
 time.   By  the time it was delivered to the Army on May 17th, 1942, it had
 practically  broken  all  of  the  existing  helicopter  records.  The U.S.
 military was now thoroughly convinced of the helicopter's potential.

 The  R-4's  design,  like  Sikorsky's  VS-300 before it , utilised a single
 rotor  with  three blades, and a tail rotor to counteract the torque of the
 main  rotor.   This  design  set  the  standard  for  the great majority of
 American helicopters that followed it.

 By the end of WWII, over four hundred Sikorsky helicopters of three designs
 were  flying  for  the Army, Navy and Coast Guard, and for the British Navy
 and RAF.  They served as scouts, delivered mail to ships at sea, and served
 as  rescue  craft during carrier operations.  In addition, the growing need
 for  anti-submarine  platforms gave the helicopter an active combat mission
 in  fleet operations; with the advent of the dipping sonar in the mid-40's,
 the helicopter became a viable sub-hunter.

 Page 89

 In  1944,  the  helicopter saw its first duty as a combat search and rescue
 (C-SAR)  and  medevac  craft, during operations in Burma.  In April of that
 year, Sikorsky R-4 helicopters attached to the US Army's First Air Commando
 Group,  based  at  Hailakandi,  India  were  fitted  with  fuel  tanks from
 fixed-wing  aircraft  to  extend  their  range, and were flown behind enemy
 lines  to  rescue  the  crew  and  passengers  of  a  light British medevac
 aircraft.   The  mission  was a success, and the R-4 was called upon almost
 daily afterward for other SAR missions.

                              MALAYA AND KOREA


 The  first real conflict in which helicopters were used extensively was the
 Malayan  Emergency,  a  counter-insurgency  war  fought  by the British for
 twelve  years  beginning  in  1948.   By the time the Korean War began, the
 British  already  had  nearly 40,000 troops fighting a guerilla war against
 Chinese-backed  communist insurgents.  British forces depended heavily upon
 helicopters  in  the  jungle  war, for medical evacuation, troop transport,
 observation   and  reconnaissance.   The  operational  flexibility  of  the
 helicopters,  along  with  their  ability  to deploy and retrieve troops in
 jungle terrain, proved their worth in combat beyond the shadow of a doubt.

 The Korean War was to US helicopter aviation what the Malayan Emergency was
 to  the  British.  During the course of the war, the helicopter was used by
 all four branches of the armed forces, and tactics were developed for their
 use.

 While  the  helicopter  was primarily used for transport, medevac, SAR, and
 reconnaissance   by   all  of  the  services,  there  was  some  unofficial
 experimentation  with  gunship  tactics.   For  the first time, helicopters
 became a threat to enemy troops.

 The  first  shots  fired  in  anger  from  a helicopter were from a US Navy
 helicopter  in  January  1951.   Lieutenant, j.g.  John W.  Thorton and his
 crewman,  Petty Officer Whitaker, experimented with light attack helicopter
 tactics  by  firing  .45  calibre  pistols  and carbine rifles and dropping
 grenades  from  their  HO3S-1  on  North  Korean  troops.  If fragmentation
 grenades  were not available, LTJG Thorton would obtain percussion grenades
 and tape nails to them, so they could "nail them to a tree".

 These  tactics  did  not  endear  Thorton  to the North Koreans, nor to his
 fellow pilots.  The North Koreans quickly learned that the helicopter was a
 potential threat, and soon were firing upon all they saw.

 Page 91

 The  HO3S-1  had  been the subject of another experimentation in helicopter
 armament  a  year  earlier,  at  Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey.
 Mechanics  at  Helicopter  Utility  Squadron  (HU-1)  attempted  to install
 swivel-gun  mounts  with .30 and .50 calibre machine guns in the doors of a
 helicopter.   Unfortunately,  the  airframe wasn't strong enough to support
 the  guns  and  when  they  were  fired they nearly ripped the sides of the
 aircraft off.  The experiment was only slightly ahead of its time.

 The  Army experimented with the idea of an armed helicopter during the war.
 The  need  for  armament  aboard  helicopters became apparent when the H-19
 troop  transport  helicopter  was  deployed  to  Korea  -  it  proved to be
 extremely  vulnerable  during  troop  assault  landings.   The  Army  tried
 mounting  a  bazooka  on  an  H-13 helicopter in 1950, with little success;
 three years later, the Army tried a grenade launcher, with the same result.

 American experience with the helicopter during Korea led to the development
 of  the  "Air Cavalry" concept.  General Matthew B.  Ridgeway, who had seen
 the  importance  of  the  helicopter in Korea, reorganised Army aviation in
 January   1955,   and  laid  the  foundation  for  the  modern  "Air  Cav".
 Accompanying  this  new  organisational  concept  was  that  of "Helicopter
 Gunship".

 In  1956, the Army began testing various types of helicopter armament again
 with  the  goal  of  providing an effective suppressive fire during assault
 landings.   Air Cavalry units experimented with .30 and .50 calibre machine
 guns,  rockets  and  various cannons.  Eventually, these experiments led to
 the formation of an aerial combat recon company in 1958.

                                   ALGERIA

 The  French  would  be  the first to apply the gunship concept under actual
 combat  conditions.  During the bloody French-Algerian War, the French Army
 and  Air  Force applied the American experience with helicopter armament to
 their  Vertol  H-21's  twin  rotor  helicopters  originally built for troop
 transport.

 The French used several mixes of armament, from .30 and .50 calibre machine
 guns  to  37mm  rockets  and  20mm  cannon  in their war against the Muslim
 rebels.  The French also armoured their helicopters, using self-sealing gas
 tanks  and  fibreglass  armour  plating  around engine compartments and the
 cockpit.  After adding weaponry and armour to their helicopters, the French
 did not lose any helicopters to ground fire.  The French also pioneered the
 development of a helicopter-launched anti-tank missile in 1958.

 Page 91

                                   VIETNAM


 While the French had some success with the use of the helicopter during the
 French-Algerian  War, in the end they were forced to quit Algeria, granting
 their  former  colony  independance.   The helicopter alone could not win a
 guerilla  war.  Still, the utility of the armed helicopter had been proven,
 and important lessons had been learned about its employment.

 But  the  real  test  of  "Gunship" weapons and tactics would come with the
 escalation of a war in another former French Colony - Vietnam.

 The  Vietnam  War has often been called the "Helicopter War" because of the
 pivotal  role  that  helicopters played in all aspects of the conflict.  US
 forces  depended  heavily  on  the  helicopter  because  of its utility and
 flexibility  in  an  environment  similar  to  that faced by the British in
 Malaya  during  the early 50's.  During the conflict, more helicopters, and
 more  types  of helicopters, would be used than ever before.  Some eighteen
 types  of  helicopters  were  flown by US pilots over the course of the war
 (many  of which are still in service today in some capacity).  The war also
 saw  the  first  widespread  use  of gas-turbine powered helicopters in all
 facets of operations.

 The  first  gas  turbine  powered  helicopter  deployed to Vietnam became a
 symbol  of  the  war itself - the UH-1 Iroquois, more commonly known as the
 Huey.   First delivered to the Army in 1959, the Huey was commonly referred
 to  early  on  as  a "Helicopter Ambulance," despite its multi-role design.
 The  Huey  was  remarkably successful in all its roles, and eventually over
 9,000 were built - many are still in service.

 The UH-1B Huey became the first true helicopter gunship.  It was built with
 universal  wiring  and  "hard points" for the attachment of various weapons
 systems.   Three weapons were used by the UH-1B; the XM-6 quad (four 7.62mm
 machine  guns  and  four grenade launchers mounted in pairs on each side of
 the  ship),  the XM-3 rocket pod system (two pods of 24 2.75 inch rockets),
 and  the  SS-11  guided anti-tank missile (three guided missiles mounted on
 each  side  of  the helicopter).  While the XM-3 and SS-11 systems were not
 available  early,  the  XM-6 quad was almost universally in use as early as
 1962, giving the Huey a lethal punch.

 Huey's  1A's  were  also equipped with weaponry, though their lower turbine
 power  and lack of universal wiring limited the range of weapons available.
 They  were  equipped with two fixed rocket pods and two .30 calibre machine
 guns, mounted on the skids of the aircraft.

 Page 93

 The  first  Huey 1A's and 1B's to arrive in Vietnam were organised into the
 Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter Company (UTTHCO).  The 1B's proved to
 be much more flexible in meeting the needs of the local commanders.  Almost
 as  important  as  the 1B's better armament mix was its higher shaft power,
 essential  for  manoevreability  in  the  high  humidity  of  Vietnam.  The
 gunships  provided  light  close-in  fire  support  for assault landings of
 airborne  troops,  and  were  essential  to  the evolution of "airmobility"
 strategy of the US Army

 The "airmobility" concept emerged in the early 60's as a product of a study
 by  a  board  of  Army  officers  convened  by  Secretary of Defence Robert
 MacNamara.   The  Army  Tactical Mobility Requirements Board, also known as
 the  "Howze  Board"  (  for  its  Chairman,  General Hamilton H.  Howze, an
 experienced Airborne commander), recommeded the substitution of helicopters
 for  a  large  amount  of the Army's ground transportation.  All Army units
 would  be  equipped  with  360  air  vehicles  to  every  2000 wheeled land
 vehicles.

 The  committee  also  recommended the formations of specialised, completely
 airmobile "air assault divisions".  The concept of the Air Assault Division
 was tested by a skeleton division formed at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1964.
 During  exercises  in  North and South Carolina, the division proved itself
 against the 82nd Airborne.

 The  Secretary  of Defence recognised the effectiveness of such a unit, and
 gave  the  Army  the  approval  to  proceed  with organisation of the first
 airmobile  division.   The  division selected for this honour was the famed
 1st  Cavalry  Division.   On July 28th, 1965, President Johnson ordered the
 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) to Vietnam.

 As  the  war  escalated,  and helicopters took increasing amounts of ground
 fire  from heavy anti-aircraft weapons, it became apparent that a dedicated
 helicopter  gunship  was  needed.   The UH-1B, while highly successful, was
 limited  in its capabilities - it was, after all, just a modified logistics
 helicopter.  Bell Helicopter had forseen the Army's need, and was preparing
 to  meet  it.   In 1966, the Army ordered its first true gunship - the Bell
 AH-1 Huey Cobra.

 The  Cobra  was  based  on  the UH-1B, but had some major innovations.  The
 airframe was narrow, presenting a very small head-on target.  The very look
 of  the  helicopter suggested its purpose - it was death from above for the
 enemy.

 Page 94

 The  first  Huey  Cobra went to Vietnam in 1968.  Perhaps their most famous
 role in the war was the operations conducted by Ah-1's over the Ho Chi Minh
 Trail,  ambushing  North  Vietnamese  and  Viet Cong supply trains.  It was
 during  these  ambushes  that  Cobra  pilots  developed tactics like "Cobra
 Stacking",  flying  one  above the other to maximise the amount of ordnance
 brought to bear on a small target.

 But  the AH-1s also earned their keep in the troop transport escort role as
 well,  protecting  assault helicopter landings and providing "instantaneous
 fire suppression".  The Marine Corps found them vital to carrying out their
 mission.

 With  a  broad  range of weaponry, high speed and high manoevreability; the
 Cobra  proved to be a very imprtant asset to American field commanders; its
 success  insured  the  long  line of gunships that followed it.  Many other
 nations  have copied it, and the Army and Marine Corps use modifications of
 the AH-1 (particularly the AH-1W Super Cobra) to this day.

 Vietnam  was  the  proving  ground  for American gunships; for the Soviets,
 Afghanistan served a similar role.

                                 AFGHANISTAN

 While  the  Soviets  had  been pioneers in heavy lift helicopter design and
 construction,  and  had been arming helicopters since the early 50's, their
 first  helicopter  gunship was not introduced until 1972.  The Mi-24 Hind-A
 was  really  a heavily armed and highly mobile transport helicopter.  It is
 believed that the Hind-A was designed to act as its own fire support during
 troop insertions; the Soviet staff believed at the time that they could not
 afford a large number of single-purpose helicopters.

 Soviet  attitudes  about  gunships  changed  over  time,  and the Hind went
 through  a  series  of modifications.  The Hind-D was equipped with a nose-
 mounted   Gatling gun.  Still, the Hind-E, introduced in 1976, can carry up
 to  ten  troops  with  its  full weapons load.  With its weaponry and heavy
 armour,  the  Hind  is  comparable  to  a very fast and manoevreable flying
 armoured personnel carrier.

 In December of 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan under the pretenses of
 an  invitation  by  the Afghan Government.  By mid-January, the Soviets had
 more than 75,000 troops in the country.

 Page 95

 The  Hind  gunship  was  the  workhorse  of Soviet aviation in Afghanistan;
 nearly  200 of them were deployed by January of 1983.  The Hind served in a
 role similar to that of the Cobra in Vietnam, escorting troop transports on
 assaults  on  guerilla  concentrations.  But like the French in Algeria and
 the  Americans  in  Vietnam,  the  Soviets  faced  an  enemy  that  enjoyed
 considerable freedom of movement, superior knowledge of the terrain and had
 the  will  to fight.  The Mujahadeen also had US made Stinger anti-aircraft
 missiles, a great threat to the Soviet helicopter forces.

 One  Soviet soldier said after the war, "You could tell when a landing zone
 was hot by the number of assault troops they put on a helicopter.  The more
 men  a  (Hind)  had to land, the longer it was vulnerable to guerilla fire.
 If you had four or five to a helicopter, it wasn't too bad.  If you had two
 or three to a helicopter, you knew it was really bad."

 As  the  threat  to  Soviet  helicopters  increased, more and more infrared
 decoys  (essentially  flares) were carried to draw away the Stingers of the
 Mujahadeen.   And  the Soviets also reportedly deployed chemical weapons in
 large numbers from Hinds.

                       GRENADA - OPERATION URGENT FURY

 In  1983,  the  US  and a coalition of Caribbean States invaded the isle of
 Grenada  to  overthrow  the  oppressive  Marxist  military  junta  that had
 recently taken power.

 During  the  invasion, code-named Operation Urgent Fury, US Army and Marine
 forces  met  stiff  resistance  from  Cuban  "advisor" forces, and fought a
 heavily armed and fortified force holed up in the island's fortress prison.
 AH-1  Cobra  gunships  proved  their  versatility and, unfortunately, their
 vulnerability during engagements with these forces.  Army Cobras and Marine
 SeaCobras  provided  close  air support and assaulted the fortress with TOW
 missiles, but two of them were lost to ground fire.

 Other  Marine helicopter forces were used in the mission to rescue American
 students  at  the  St.   George's Medical School.  These Marine Sea Knights
 were  used as well for "vertical development" assaults on the island in the
 early stages of the operation.

 Page 96

 Lasting  only  a few days, the operation is not considered to be one of the
 high  points  in  US  military history.  It's generally felt that US forces
 were  ill  prepared  for  the  level  of  opposition,  and  rushed into the
 operation  with  too little planning.  In any event,its effects went a long
 way to shape the future of helicopter operations.

                             THE APACHE IS BORN

 In  the  early  70's  the US Army sought a heavy gunship in the form of the
 AH-56  Cheyenne.  The program was cancelled, however, and for the remainder
 of  the decade, the only heavy helicopter gunships in the US inventory were
 on paper.  The Cobra was called upon to fill the gap.

 The  70's  saw  an  increased emphasis on the anti-armour capability of the
 helicopter gunship.  With the addition of the TOW missile to the Cobra (and
 later  the  SuperCobra),  and  similar  weapons to the helicopters of other
 nations,  the  gunship was becoming a real "force multiplier", with greater
 anti-armour capability than most ground units.

 In  1976,  the  Hughes  Aircraft  designed  an all-weather heavy helicopter
 gunship,  the  AH-64  Apache.  It would be stuck in development for another
 six  years before the production line got rolling.  In the meantime, the US
 invaded  Grenada  in  1983.   The Cobra provided the only dedicated gunship
 capabilities available at the time.

 Now fully operational, the Apache is the front-line anti-armour aircraft of
 the  US  army.   The  AH-64 marks the true beginning of a new generation of
 helicopter  gunships  -  highly  automated,  heavily  armed, and capable of
 combat  in  all weather, night or day.  While the airframe is essentially a
 conventional  helicopter, the advanced electronic systems aboard the Apache
 make it the link to future helicopter gunships.  It is being considered for
 a number of other mission areas, including anti-ship missions.

 There  is  still  a  great  deal  of  debate as to which type of helicopter
 technology should be the basis of the next generation of gunship.

                            OPERATION JUST CAUSE

 In  the  early  months of 1989, relations between the US government and the
 regime  of General Manuel Noreiga in Panama were rapidly deteriorating, and
 by  the end of spring, events had reached a flash-point.  After a number of
 violent incidents, including the killing of an off-duty American soldier by
 Panamanian  Defence  Force  (PDF)  troops, the crisis escalated, and the US
 mounted  an  invasion  of  Panama  to  remove  Noriega  and put the elected
 president  of  Panama  in power.  Operation Just Cause, as the invasion was
 called  by  the  military,  lasted only a few days, but it demonstrated the
 lethality of modern weapons.

 Page 97

 Operation  Just  Cause  saw  the  first use of Apache helicopters in actual
 combat.   AH-64A Apaches were used in the attack on the PDF Commendencia in
 downtown  Panama  City  -  the  helicopters  were  used  against targets on
 individual  floors  of  the  building.  Ground based laser designators were
 utilised to pinpoint targets for the deadly accurate Hellfire missiles.

 While  there  was no opposition to US helicopters during the operation, the
 Apache proved itself an effective weapon nonetheless.

            THE PERSIAN GULF - OPERATIONS DESERT STORM AND SABRE

 The  Apache  would  get  its  first real test on the battlefield during the
 quick  and bloody war with Iraq in January and February of 1991.  On August
 5th  1990,  Saddam  Hussein's  army  invaded  the city-state of Kuwait, and
 Hussein proclaimed its annexation.  The US quickly mobilised a coalition of
 nations  to come to the defence of Saudi Arabia, and began putting pressure
 on Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait.

 By  January,  the  US  had completed the largest deployment of troops since
 Vietnam,  and  was ready to take back Kuwait by force.  With the aid of the
 British,  Italian,  French,  Saudi and Kuwaiti air forces, an air offensive
 was  launched  on  January  16th  against  Iraqi forces in Kuwait and Iraq.
 Apache  gunships  played  a  significant  role  in  the early air campaign,
 attacking Iraqi positions in both Kuwait and Iraq.

 The first mission for the AH-64 came during the first hours of the war.  On
 the  night  of  January  17th,  Apaches  were sent in to take out two Iraqi
 electronics   installations  near  the  Saudi-Iraqi  border.   The  Apaches
 launched Hellfire missiles at several targets in Kuwait and Iraq, including
 mobile  air  defence  and  electronic  sites.   All  objective targets were
 destroyed.   In  some  cases,  it  was  reported that Special Forces Troops
 provided  forward  laser  designation  for  Hellfires  launched from Apache
 gunships.

 The  night  fighting  abilities  of the Apache were used heavily during the
 first  phase  of the war.  Apaches were used against a variety of fortified
 targets  during  night  operations, including Iraqi artillery batteries and
 radar sites.  Iraqi forces attempted to begin ground war on their own terms
 in  early  February  by  invading  the Saudi coastal city of Kafji.  Apache
 helicopters  took part in a night time assault on the Iraqi armoured forces
 there,  and  during  combat  accidentally  fired  on  US armoured vehicles,
 killing  two American soldiers.  This incident highlights the hazard of the
 modern battlefield, where smoke, fire and darkness can make it difficult to
 seperate the enemy from friendlies on the ground.

 Page 98

 With  allied  air  superiority  established.   Apache  gunships  and  other
 helicopter  forces raided the Iraqi rear at will.  On February 20th, OH-58D
 Kiowa  Warriors  and  AH-64A  Apaches  destroyed  "fifteen to thirty" Iraqi
 bunkers in Kuwait, and 421 Iraqi soldiers surrendered to them.  Only one US
 serviceman was killed in the operation.

 In the early hours of February 24th, a combined allied air-ground offensive
 began.  The operation, codenamed Desert Sabre, lasted 100 hours, and nearly
 completely  destroyed  the Iraqi armed forces in and around Kuwait.  Apache
 and  Cobra  gunships played an important part in the offensive, taking part
 in  some  of  the  largest armoured battles since WWII.  In fact, the first
 shots fired during the operation were by Apache gunships.

 The  1st Marine Division was assigned one of the more difficult missions of
 the  offensive  -  a  frontal assault on the Iraqi defence lines in Kuwait.
 After punching through Iraqi fortifications, the division pushed on towards
 Kuwait  City.   In  a  battle with an Iraqi armoured brigade and mechanised
 infantry brigade near the Burquan oil fields.  Marine AH-1W SuperCobras and
 ground  forces destroyed about 30 enemy vehicles.  This battle proved to be
 only a prelude to the tank battle that would follow at Kuwait International
 Airport, where an estimated 310 Iraqi tanks were destroyed.

 To  the  west, the 101st Airborne began a heliborne assault into Iraq, with
 over  460  Blackhawk,  Apache  and  other  helicopters.   Their  operation,
 nicknamed  "Cobra",  severed  Iraqi  roads  along  the Tigris and Euphrates
 rivers, and cut off the only Iraqi escape route to the north.

 On February 28th, the operation ended, having taken over 80,000 Iraqi POW's
 and  having destroyed or "rendered ineffective" at least 40 of the 42 Iraqi
 divisions.  No US aircraft were downed during the last phase of the war - a
 tribute  to  the level of organisation planning employed and to the men and
 women that took part in the operation.

 The  operation  more  than  reaffirmed the role of the helicopter in modern
 combat operations.

 Page 99

                                THE U.S. ARMY

 Today,  the  Army deploys its helicopters as integral parts of nearly every
 type  of  division,  from light infantry to heavy armour.  As a result, the
 battlefield  commander  of  any  Army formation will have some "organic air
 support"  within  his  assets.  The highest concentration of helicopters of
 all  types  is  within  the  airborne  and  air assault divisions; within a
 typical  air  assault  division, for example, there is one full squadron of
 air  cavalry  and  an  aviation  brigade  consisting  of  eight  helicopter
 battalions.

 The   air   cavalry  squadron's  primary  missions  are  "airmobility"  and
 reconnaissance,  so  its  aircraft will be of the troop transport variety -
 UH-60  Blackhawks and probably a few UH-1 Hueys.  In addition, the squadron
 will have some AH-1 Cobra gunships for escort and air reconnaissance.

 A  squadron  will  usually  have  about  950  soldiers  assigned  to it; 70
 commissioned  officers,  100  warrant officers and 780 enlisted men.  These
 personnel  are  divided among the squadron's four "troops" and headquarters
 "troop".   A  single troop of air cavalry will have about 200 men assigned,
 with 15 commissioned officers and 32 warrant officers among them.

 The aviation brigade within an air assault division is made up of some 1000
 personnel,  and  is  broken  down into four mission groups, assault, medium
 lift,  command and attack.  Two assault helicopter battalions are dedicated
 to  the  combat troop transport mission, and are equipped with UH-60;s. The
 medium  lift  helicopter  battalion,  equipped  with  CH-47  Chinook  cargo
 helicopters,  provides  logistical  air support for the division, while the
 command helicopter battalion provides administrative, scouting, and command
 and  control  support  for  the  division commander with its UH-1 Hueys and
 OH-58 Kiowa scouts.

 The other four battalions of helicopters in the aviation brigade are attack
 helicopter  battalions.   These  units  are  equipped  with  a  mixture  of
 aircraft,  including  AH-64  Apaches,  OH-58 Kiowas and probably some AH-1S
 SuperCobras.   These  units are manned by some 20 commissioned officers, 44
 warrant officers, and 177 enlisted men per battalion.

 In  addition  to  these  air  assets,  the  division  will also have an air
 ambulance  company  assigned to  its  medical battalion, equipped with UH-1
 helicopters and dedicated to air medical evacuation.

 The number and types of helicopters that are assigned to a unit may vary
 with the theatre of operations that they are assigned to and their level of
 readiness.

 Page 100

 There are large numbers of helicopters considered "obsolete" for front line
 troops  that  have  been  widely spread through the Army's aviation reserve
 units.   As  demonstrated  during  Operations Desert Shield, Storm & Sabre,
 these  units  may  quickly  find  themselves  on  or  near the front of any
 conflict of arms.

 The  number  and  type  of  helicopters  assigned to a mission group during
 operations  will  also vary widely, depending on the theatre of operations,
 the mission objective, and other forces deployed in the area.  For example,
 a  formation  of  Apaches  may  be supported by Special Forces units on the
 ground  (with  laser  designators for their Hellfire missiles), or they may
 need  a  Kiowa  scout configured for laser designation to accompany them if
 there  are  no  forward  forces  to support them.  The terrain, battlefield
 conditions,  and weather may all be factors in deciding the number and type
 of aircraft to assign to any specific mission.

 Page 101

                            ---------------------
                            FLYING THE HELICOPTER
                            ---------------------

 Flying  a  helicopter  is  a lesson in the physics of vectors.  It places a
 great  demand on the ability of the pilot to simultaneously control each of
 the  factors  affecting the flight of his aircraft.  The following material
 only  begins  to  scratch  the  surface  of  the intricacies of rotary-wing
 flight.

                              THE BASIC FORCES

 The  four  basic  forces,  or vectors, that act on all aircraft are gravity
 (which  pulls  the  craft  down),  lift (which pushes it up), thrust (which
 moves  the  craft horizontally), and drag (resistance against thrust).These
 four  forces,  and to what degree they act on aircraft determine if and how
 well  it flies.  Changing the weight, lifting surfaces, thrusting power and
 airframe  shape  all  change  the  vectors  that  act  on  an aircraft and,
 consequently, change its flight characteristics.

                       LIFT, THRUST AND THE HELICOPTER

 Helicopters  and  airplanes  both  get their lift from an airfoil - a shape
 that  creates  lift  from  relative  motion through the air.  An airfoil is
 shaped so that the air moving across the top of it must travel further than
 air  crossing  along  its  bottom;  this  creates  a condition known as the
 Venturi  effect,  in which an area of low air pressure is created above the
 airfoil.   As  a  result, the airfoil is drawn upward into the low pressure
 area, creating a lifting force.

 Conventional  airplanes  depend  on the relative motion of air across their
 fixed  wings,  caused  by  forward motion, to create the lift necessary for
 them to get and remain airborne.  As a result, lift for an airplane follows
 the  thrust  of  its  engines;  the more thrust available, the more lift an
 airplane  can  get  out  of its wings; or the less wing surface it needs to
 generate that lift.

 Helicopters,  on  the other hand, get all of their lift and thrust from one
 source  -  the rotor blades; these are the helicopter's "wings".  Since the
 helicopter  spins  its  lifting  surfaces  through  the air, it creates the
 relative motion necessary to generate lift without having to move the whole
 helicopter through the air.  This is why helicopters can hover and manoevre
 at low speeds.

 Unlike  the  wing  of  an  airplane, the blades of a helicopter's rotor are
 symmetrical  -  the top and bottom of each blade is shaped the same.  Thus,
 if  they were allowed to spin perfectly flat, they would provide no lift at
 all.   The  difference in surface area needed to create lift is achieved by
 changing  the pich, or angle, of the blades.  By increasing the tilt of the
 rotor blades, a helicopter can essentially take a bigger :bite:  out of the
 air and create more lift.

 Page 102

 The  helicopter's directional thrust -the force that moves it horizontally-
 is  created by tilting the plane of the rotor blades' spin.  When the rotor
 is tilted, it pulls the helicopter in the direction of the tilt, as well as
 providing lift.

 There are four basic configurations for helicopter rotors.  The most common
 is  what  the  British  call  the "Penny and Fathing" - the single overhead
 rotor  with  a small stabilising tail rotor.  The smaller rotor counteracts
 the torque generated by the main rotor.  Another common rotor configuration
 is  the  twin  tandem  -  two  rotors, one forward and one aft.  The rotors
 revolve in opposite directions to counteract each others torque.

 The  twin  side-by-side  is not very common among military helicopters.  In
 this  configuration,  the rotors are mounted on the side of the helicopter,
 and  often intermesh.  Several commercial helicopters manufactured by Kaman
 used this design.  The coaxial rotor configuration is most commonly used by
 Soviet helicopter designers, and can be seen in the Hormone, Helix, and the
 new  Hokum  helicopters.  Two counter-rotating sets of rotor blades revolve
 about the same axis, counteracting each other's torque.

                      DISSYMETRY AND ASYMMETRY OF LIFT

 Since a helicopter's rotor blades spin about an axis, the relative speed of
 air  over  the  rotor  blades  is slower toward the inside of the blade and
 faster  toward  the  tip of the blade.  This means that a greater amount of
 lift  will be created at the tip ofs the blades, so the blades will tend to
 bend up at the ends.  This is known as dissymetry of lift.

 Page 103

 Also,  if the helicopter is moving forward, one side of the rotor (the side
 spinning  towards the direction of movement will have a higher relative air
 speed  than the other (spinning away from the direction of movement).  This
 effect  is called asymmetry of lift.  The effect, first noted by Juan de la
 Cierva  during  his  development of the autogiro in the 20's, tends to make
 rotary-winged craft roll to one side unless it is compensated for.  In most
 cases,  helicopter  designers  have  adjusted to this effect by hinging the
 blades, allowing them to rise slightly while they spin forward.

                                   TORQUE

 Since  the helicopter's rotor blades are spinning, another force is exerted
 on  the  helicopter  -  torque.   When a helicopter has only one rotor, the
 torque  generated by that rotor tends to turn the helicopter in a direction
 opposite  of  the  spin  of the rotor blades.  This is counteracted in most
 helicopters  by  a  tail  rotor,  which pushes back against the torque.  In
 helicopters  with  two rotor blades, the rotors spin in opposite directions
 and the torque is cancelled out.

 Torque  can  also  be  used  to  the  helicopter's  advantage.   Torque, in
 conjunction with the tail rotor, can be used to help turn the helicopter in
 flight, and pivot the helicopter about its axis when it's hovering.







                                  HOVERING

 To  hover  a  helicopter,  the  cyclic  must be held at centre, so that the
 helicopter  does  not  gain  airspeed  in  any  direction.   The collective
 controls  keep  the  helicopter  at  a  constant altitude, while the rudder
 pedals  keep  the  helicopter pointed in one direction.  Since the air is a
 dynamic  environment,  the  pilot  must constantly adjust these controls to
 maintain the hover.

 When  a  helicopter  is  in  a hover or in slow forward flight close to the
 ground,  it  creates an effect known as ground cushion.  Air forced down by
 the  rotors  cannot escape quickly and is compressed between the helicopter
 and   the   ground.   This,  in  turn,  increases  the  efficiency  of  the
 helicopter's engine and rotor blades.

 Page 106
                               FLIGHT FORWARD

 To  accelerate  a  helicopter  forward  from  a hover, the pilot pushes the
 cyclic  forward  and pulls up on the collective.  More lift is generated by
 the  rotors  as  the collective is pulled up, and this lift is converted to
 forward  thrust  as the rotor (and the helicopter) is tilted forward by the
 collective.

 As  the  helicopter  shifts  from a hover to forward flight, the helicopter
 settles  towards  the  ground.  This is because of a slight loss of lift as
 some  of  the  helicopter's lift is converted to thrust, and it "slips off"
 the  ground  cushion.   But  when  the  helicopter  has gained some forward
 momentum,  it  also  gains  what  is  called  "translational  lift"  -  the
 additional  lift  generated  by  the  relative motion created in horizontal
 flight.   As  the  heLicOpter  accelerates  fOrward, the traNSlational lift
 grows.   However,  this  additional  lifting efficiency is cancelled out by
 other effects once the helicopter reaches about 90kts forward speed.

 When the helicopter is straight, level flight, the cyclic controls airspeed
 for  the  most part, while the collective maintains altitude, When climbing
 or  descending,  the  cyclic maintains the airspeed of the helicopter while
 the  collective increases or decreases lift as required.  Since an increase
 or decrease in collective often corresponds with an increase or decrease in
 throttle,  the  torque  of  the  helicopter may increase or decrease during
 altitude  changes.   This  means  the  rudder  pedals  need  to be adjusted
 constantly to match the torque on the helicopter.

                            TAKE-OFF AND LANDING

 Helicopter  take-off  usually consists of two manoevres - going into hover,
 and  forward,  climbing  flight.   First,  the  pilot  lifts off the ground
 vertically  using increased throttle and collective, maintaining horizontal
 position  as  in  a  hover  but adding more collective to pull the aircraft
 upward.   Then,  the  pilot  pushes  the cyclic forward and pulls up on the
 collective to attain airspeed and climb to altitude.

 Whenever  possible,  helicopter  take-off  should be done into the wind, to
 prevent  drift  during take-off.  The pilot should also pick some reference
 point  on  the  ground  to  keep  his  heading  steady  during  the initial
 acceleration.

 Landing  is  essentially a reverse process - descending forward flight to a
 point  above  the  landing  point,  and a gradually descending hover to the
 ground.   All  descent  should  be  stopped when the helicopter goes into a
 hover.

 Page 107

 The  helicopter  should not be allowed to drift horizontally while touching
 down,  as  it could easily tip over.  This could lead to the pilot and crew
 eating  pieces  of  shattered  rotor blade.  Also, it is important that the
 collective  be  handled  gently  during landing, as too rapid a descent can
 prove  dangerous.   At  best,  a very expensive aircraft is bounced off the
 ground, and several vertebrae are compressed.

                          "STEPPING ON THE BRAKES"

 There  may  be the occasion where it becomes necessary to rapidly slow down
 horizontal  flight  -  a  large  impassable  object  ahead,  or  some other
 condition  that  might  have  a  negative impact on the service life of the
 helicopter.   In  such  a  situation,  care should be taken by the pilot to
 maintain   altitude  and  avoid  wild  changes  in  heading.   Coordinated,
 simultaneous use of the controls is essential.

 To  "put  on  the brakes".  the pilot lets down on the collective and pulls
 back  on the cyclic at the same time, while adjusting the rudder to prevent
 a wild swing in heading.  As the helicopter slows to the desired speed, the
 pilot  levels  the craft by pushing forward again on the cyclic (to prevent
 the  helicopter  from  settling  tail  first  and  hitting  the ground) and
 adjusting the collective (to maintain altitude).

 Page 108

                             ------------------
                             HELICOPTER TACTICS
                             ------------------

 One of the great handicaps of helicopter combat is that there is nowhere to
 hide  in  the sky.  Anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), surface-to air missiles,
 helicopters,  and  ground  fire  from  small  automatic  weapons can swat a
 helicopter  from  the  sky.   With  a  wide  proliferation of man-portable,
 high-tech weapons like the Stinger, SA-7 Grail, and SA-14 Gremlin missiles,
 the open skies are an even more dangerous place for slow-flying helicopters
 than  before.   To survive, the pilot must be able to use the unique flight
 characteristics of the helicopter to his advantage.


 One  of  the  most  commonLy  used  defensive  manOevres fOr helicopters is
 Nap-of-the-earth  (NOE)  flying.   In  thiS  type of flying, the helicopter
 follows  the contour of the earth, in almost all respects becoming a ground
 vehicle.   This  type  of flying demands a great deal of skill.  But if the
 pilot  doesn't  hit  a tree or hill, he gains a great deal more security on
 the  battlefield  from  SAMs and AAA.  Exposure to fire from enemy units is
 minimised because the helicopter is masked by the terrain for a majority of
 its flight, and the helicopter gains a degree of surprise.

                    HELICOPTER Vs TANKS AND GROUND UNITS

 The  manoevreability of helicopters gives them the best of both worlds when
 it  comes  to  combat with ground forces; they can use the terrain to their
 advantage,  and  then  fly  above  it  when it becomes an impediment.  This
 ability  gives  the  helicopter  gunship the ability to ambush enemy ground
 forces whenever the terrain permits.

 Page 109

 Ambush  tactics for gunships date back to the Vietnam war, when Huey Cobras
 patrolled  the  Ho  Chi Minh trail.  The most common ambush manoevre is the
 "pop-up"  - the helicopter masks itself behind a tree line, house, or other
 terrain feature, and then "pops-up" from behind its hiding place to deliver
 the  attack.   The usual minimum number of helicopters for an ambush attack
 is three, by NATO doctrine.

 A  "pop-up"  is  only  necessary  to use direct-fire weapons - weapons that
 require  a  target  to  be  in  line  of sight.  With the Apache's Hellfire
 laser-guided  anti-tank  missiles, the Apache does not even need to pop-up.
 Another  helicopter  or  a forward observer can designate the target with a
 laser, and the Apache can fire from cover.

 Another  weapon that offers virtually no exposure time to enemy fire is the
 sub-munition-type  anti-armour  system  attack.   This  attack  relies on a
 pattern  of  multi-purpose  bomblets  from exploding unguided rockets.  The
 helicopter  makes  its  approach shielded by the terrain, then pulls up and
 fires,  and  turns  toward the rear, immediately returning to NOE flight to
 avoid enemy fire.

                          HELICOPTER Vs HELICOPTER

 The  first  all-heLicOpter  dOgfight oN record occured during the Iran-Iraq
 war,  when  an  Iraqi  Hind  Shot  down an Iranian Cobra.  Even before this
 event,  it  was  widely  assumed  that  in  any large-scale conflict of the
 future, helicopters would meet each other in combat.  The Soviets have even
 designed   a  helicopter  for  the  single  purpose  of  air-to-air  combat
 operations (the Hokum).

 Helicopter-to-helicopter  combat  tactics  are  an  evolution of the combat
 tactics  used by fighter pilots in WWI.  The unique manoevring abilities of
 the  helicopter  add  some  considerations  to  the  equation,  but the old
 problems  are  essentially  the same - how to convert velocity and altitude
 into a shooting position.

 Pages 110-111

 If  approached from behind, the first instinct of many helicopter pilots is
 to  brake  hard  to  force  the  enemy  to  overshoot.   To recover from an
 overshoot,  helicopter  pilots have developed a manoevre known as the "High
 Yo  Yo".   When  the  target brakes, the attacker pulls up hard to avoid an
 overshoot  converting  airspeed  into  altitude,  and then manoevres to the
 "six-o'-clock" position (directly behind the target) and drops down for the
 attack.

 Rather  than  braking hard, a pilot finding himself in front of an oncoming
 attacker  might  execute  a  maneuvre called the "Horizontal Scissors".  In
 this  maneuvre,  the  pilot  turns  hard  to  one  side and reduces forward
 velocity.   The  attacker  is  forced to turn to follow, and the pilot then
 turns  hard  in  the opposite direction.  The attacker is forced to reverse
 his  turn  and  is  forced  out  in  front of the defender, who is now in a
 position to take a shot.

 When  faced with an attacker in close proximity, a helicopter pilot can use
 a  maneuvre  developed  by the U.S.  Marines known as the "Side Flare Quick
 Stop".   The  pilot  pulls  up  hard  and  flares  to one side, forcing the
 attacker to overshoot.  Now behind the opponent,the pilot dives down to the
 six-o-clock position and has the enemy in his sights.

 When  meeting  an  adversary  from an opposite direction, a pilot can use a
 maneuvre known as a "Stern Conversion".  The pilot accelerates and performs
 a  hard,  banking turn called a "Wing-Over"(similar to the maneuvre used in
 WWII  movies  by  pilots  turning out of formation for an attack run).  The
 pilot  then  performs  a turning dive into attack position behind the enemy
 aircraft.

 As  of  yet,  these  tactics  are fairly theoretical - none have been truly
 proven  in combat.  But it is clear that pilots will use some derivative of
 them in any future conflict where helicopters meet over the battlefield.

 PAGE 114-115
                        ----------------------------
                        4 EQUIPMENT AND ORGANISATION
                        ----------------------------

                                 DATA FORMAT
                                 -----------

                 LENGTH, WIDTH, HEIGHT, WEIGHT AND DIAMETER

 All are expressed in metric measurements.  Metric measures are used because
 most armies, including the U.S.  Army, utilise the metric system.  Vehicles
 list  fully  loaded  combat  weights.   Aircraft  list  maximum  take - off
 weights.
                                  CREW/PASS

 The  "crew"  is  the normal fighting compliment of the vehicle or aircraft-
 the men who remain aboard in combat situations
 While  most  all  vehicles can carry passengers in one form or another,only
 those  who  are  specifically  built  for transport,or provide a modicom of
 cover,list passengers.  The "passengers" frequently dismount in combat.

                                   ENGINE

 The horsepower (hp) and type of the main engine(s).  Helicopter engines are
 rated in "shaft horsepower"(shp).  Fixed wing aircraft engines are rated in
 pounds   of   statistic   thrust"  (lb  st).   "AB"  indicates  afterburner
 capability.
                                  MAX SPEED

 For  vehicles,  this  is  maximum  rated  road speed in kilometres per hour
 (kph).   For  aircraft  and ships, this is the maximum level speed in knots
 (kts) at sea level.
                                RATE OF CLIMB

 For  helicopters, this is the vertical rate of climb from hover in feet per
 second  (ft/sec).   In most cases, the maximum rate of climb is about twice
 this value.
                               SERVICE CEILING

 The  maximum  altitude obtainable with a nominal weapon load.  The Rules Of
 Engagement  (ROE)  for  a  Theatre  of  Operations  (TO) normally limit the
 maximum altitude to a much lower value.

                                  MAIN GUN

 The  size  and  type of main gun, if any.  All guns are rifled, unless "SB"
 (Smooth  Bore)  is  indicated.   For guns other than machine guns (MG), the
 number of rounds carried (rds) is also indicated.

                                  MISSILES

 The  name  and  type of missile carried.  Aircraft and ships will also list
 the predominate non-missile weapons.  Please note that other weapon systems
 could also be carried.
                                 WEAPON LOAD

 For  aircraft,  this  is  the  maximum  weapon  load.  More often than not,
 aircraft fly with less than their rated maximum load.

 PAGE 116

 Many vehicles mount one or more secondary weapons, usually machine guns for
 local ground and air defence.

 Vehicle armour thickness is expressed as Heavy, Medium, Light, or None.

                                SOVIET NAMES

 You may wonder where the Soviets came up with all those weird names?  Well,
 the  names  listed  for  most  of  the Soviet equipment are in reality NATO
 designations,  not  the real Soviet names.  These NATO designations utilise
 the  first letter of the unit`s type to formulate the name.  That`s why the
 Soviet  fighter aircraft have names beginning with an "F", helicopters with
 an "H", air-to air missiles with an "A" and so on.

 The reason is twofold.  First of all, the Russian language is not that easy
 to  read  or  pronounce; secondly, the actual names are sometimes not known
 until  years  after  the unit has been spotted or released - after all, you
 have to call it something.

 PAGE 117
                     -----------------------------------
                     YOUR HELICOPTERS AND WEAPON SYSTEMS
                     -----------------------------------

                            AH-64A APACHE GUNSHIP

 In  the  mid-1960s,  after  the  AH-56  Cheyenne  failed  to  meet required
 developmental  specifications  (too expensive and too complex), the US Army
 was  left  without  an  advanced  attack helicopter.  At that time,the AH-1
 Cobra  was  considered to be only a short-term step.  The search continued,
 and  the  contract  for  the  Apache was finally awarded in 1976; the first
 Apache  entered  service  in  1986.  The Apache is now considered to be the
 premier helicopter gunship.

 AVIONICS:Includes   a   full   suite  of  advanced  communication  systems,
 navigational   flight   aids   and   survivability   systems.   The  target
 acquisition/designation  sight  and  pilots night vision sensor (TADS/PNVS)
 are  the  heart  of  the avionics package.  These linked systems include an
 auto-focus thermal imager, laser ranger/designator and TV camera.  Both are
 integrated  into a helmet-mounted sighting system.  IR signature is reduced
 by the Black Hole system.  An airborne target handoff subsystem (ATHS) data
 link is also included.

 WEIGHT:           9.5 tons            MAX SPEED:         160 kts

 CREW/PASS:        2/0                 RATE OF CLIMB:     42ft/sec

 LENGTH:           17.8m               SERVICE CEILING:   21,000ft

 WIDTH:            5.3m                MAIN GUN:          30mm,1200rds

 HEIGHT:           4.7m                MISSILES:          Hellfire ATGM,Rockets

 ROTOR DIAM:      14.6m               WEAPON LOAD:       3.5 tons

 ENGINE:          two 1,696 shp


 PAGE 118

                        AH-64B LONGBOW APACHE GUNSHIP

 A natural follow-on to the AH 64A, the longbow Apache will feature a number
 of  mid-life  product  improvements,  but  will  be  built  around  the new
 millimetre-wave  radar guided Hellfire weapon system.  This system includes
 an  intergrated  mast-mounted  sight.  The MMW Hellfire is a true "Fire and
 Forget"  weapon.It`s  seeker head will guide itself to the target; a target
 designator  is  not  required.   It`s  also  longer ranged and suffers less
 degradation  from  rain,  fog  and  smoke  than FLIR`s and thermal imagers.
 These  upgrades  will  make  the Longbow Apache and the Comanche unbeatable
 stablemates.

 AVIONICS:   Will  be an upgrade to current Apache systems, but changes will
 mainly  involve  the  target  type  discriminating  MMW systems and related
 subsystems.

 WEIGHT:      9.7tons            MAX. SPEED:        160 kts

 CREW/PASS:   2/0                RATE OF CLIMB:     40 ft?sec

 LENGTH       17.8               SERVICE CEILING:   21000ft

 WIDTH        5.3m               MAIN GUN:          30mm,12000rds

 HEIGHT:      5.6m               MISSILES:          MMW Hellfire ATGM,
                                                    Rockets
 ROTOR DIAM:  14.6m

 ENGINE:      two 1,696 shp      WEAPON LOAD        3.5 tons


                          AH-1W SUPERCOBRA GUNSHIP

 The  first  UH-1 Cobra was built from the UH-1 Huey airframe and saw combat
 in  Vietnam.   The  cobra  has  gone  through  many modifications and model
 changes.  The "W" model is the latest Supercobra iteration (it became known
 as  the  supercobra  on or about the "S" model).  While it`s currently only
 fielded  by  the US Marines, the US Army is soon expected to upgrade to "W"
 standards

 AVIONICS:   Includes  a  full  suite of communication systems, navigational
 flight  aids  and  survivability systems.  The nose-mounted night targeting
 system  (NTS)  includes  a  FLIR,  laser  ranger/designator  and  TOW  fire
 controls.  This is intergrated with the helmet-mounted sighting system.  An
 airborne target handoff subsystem (ATHS) data link is also included.

 WEIGHT:       7.6 tons             MAX SPEED:        170 kts

 CREW/PASS:    2/0                  RATE OF CLIMB:    45ft/sec

 LENGTH:       17.7m                SERVICE CEILING:  14,000ft

 WIDTH:        3.3m                 MAIN GUN:         20mm,750rds

 HEIGHT:       4.3m                 MISSILES:         Hellfire and TOW
                                                      ATGM,Rockets
 ROTOR DIAM:   14.6m

 ENGINE:       two 1,690shp        WEAPON LOAD:       1.4 tons

 PAGE 119

                  AH-66A COMANCHE GUNSHIP/SCOUT HELICOPTER

 In  1982  the  US  Army invited manufacturers to submit design concepts for
 it`s   Light   Helicopter   Experiment   (LHX)  programme.   The  origional
 procurement  called  for  5,000  units to replace UH-1,AH-1,OH-58, and OH-6
 airframes;  this  was later revised to 2,096 units (the UH-1 Huey follow-on
 was  eliminated).   The LHX, now designated the AH-A Comanche, will feature
 many  advances  in  helicopter technology, including all-composite airframe
 construction,  advanced  bearingless rotor system, internal weapons bay and
 retractable  landing  gear.   Stealth  technologies  will be employed where
 feasible.  It`s tandem cockpit seats the pilot in the front seat, as in jet
 aircraft.

 AVIONICS:   Includes  the  most  advanced  systems  to  date.   All will be
 fly-by-wire   technology.    All  systems  are  integrated  into  the  wide
 Field-of-View  helmet  sighting/targeting  system.  MFD`s will dominate the
 console,  and  the  architecture  will  be  of  the  same  generation as US
 Airforce`s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF).

 WEIGHT:       7.5 tons             MAX SPEED:        170kts

 CREW/PASS     2/0                  RATE OF CLIMB:    40ft/sec

 LENGTH:       13.2m                SERVICE CEILING:  15,000ft

 WIDTH:        2.3m                 MAIN GUN:         20mm,500rds

 HEIGHT:       3.4m                 MISSILES:         Hellfire ATGM,
                                                      Rockets,Stinger
 ROTOR DIAM:   11.9m

 ENGINE:       two 1,200shp         WEAPON LOAD:     2.5 tons


 PAGE 121
                    OH-58D KIOWA WARRIOR SCOUT HELICOPTER

 The  first OH-58`s saw service in the Vietnam war.  It had been selected as
 the  replacement  for  the  OH-6 Cayuse.  It also has seen great commercial
 success  as  thr Jet Ranger.  The Kiowa Warrior is to be only the near-term
 scout  helicopter.   It`s scheduled to be replaced in the mid-1990`s by the
 AH-66A  Comanche.   The  US Army plans to field a total of 477 OH-58D`s, by
 upgrading OH-58A models to OH-58D standards.

 AVIONICS:   Mast-mounted  sight  includes  auto-focus thermal imager, laser
 ranger/designator  and  TV  camera.   The airborne target handoff subsystem
 (ATHS) enables remote targeting for the Hellfire misile.

 WEIGHT:        2.0 tons             MAX SPEED:        120kts

 CREW/PASS:     2/0                  RATE OF CLIMB:    20ft/sec

 LENGTH:        12.9m                SERVICE CEILING:  12,000ft

 WIDTH:         2.0m                 MAIN GUN:          None

 HEIGHT:        3.9m                 MISSILES:          Hellfire ATGM,
                                                        Rockets,Stinger
 ROTOR DIAM:    10.7m

 ENGINE:        one 650 shp          WEAPON LOAD:       .4tons


 PAGE 121

                    UH-60K/L BLACKHAWK ASSAULT HELICOPTER

 As  a  replacement  for  the UH-1 Iroquois Transport Helicopter (the famous
 Huey),  the  Blackhawk  entered  service  in  1979.   Designed primarily to
 transport  11 fully equipped troops, it`s spacious cabin enables it also to
 be  used, without modification , for medevac, supply and command functions.
 The external stores support system (ESSS) can carry a significant number of
 weapons.  The "K" and "L" models entered service in 1988.

 AVIONICS:   Includes  a  full  suite of communication systems, navigational
 flight  aids,  including  the  advanced  AFCS  subsystem, and survivability
 systems.   UHF  satellite communication is also available.  IR signature is
 supressed by the hover infrared suppressor (HISS) system.

 WEIGHT:        10.0 tons             MAX SPEED:        160kts

 CREW/PASS:     3/11                  RATE OF CLIMB:    32ft/sec

 LENGTH:        17,7m                 SERVICE CEILING:  19,000ft

 WIDTH:         5.5m                  MAIN GUN:         None

 HEIGHT         5.1m                  MISSILES:         Hellfire ATGM,
                                                        Rockets,Gun Pods
 ROTOR DIAM:    16.4m

 ENGINE:        two 1,560shp          WEAPON LOAD:      4.6tons


 PAGE 121

                AH-6G DEFENDER LIGHT GUNSHIP/SCOUT HELICOPTER

 The original Defender dates back to the Vietnam war, where it saw action as
 the  OH-6A Cayuse LOH (Light Observation Helicopter-"Loach:).  The AH-6G is
 based  on  the  commercial  MD530  helicopter.   A  compact integrated crew
 station with multiple MFD`s enhances this helicopter`s field of view.  It`s
 designed  primarily for day or night point attack and anti-armour missions,
 but is equally suitable for scout missions.

 AVIONICS:   Includes  a  full suite of communications systems, navigational
 flight  aids  and survivability systems.  Mast-mounted sight includes FLIR,
 laser ranger and TOW fire controls.

 WEIGHT:        1.4 tons             MAX SPEED:        120kts

 CREW/PASS:     2/3                  RATE OF CLIMB:    28ft/sec

 LENGTH:        9.8m                 SERVICE CEILING:  16,000ft

 WIDTH:         3.2m                 MAIN GUN:         7.62mm MG

 HEIGHT:        3.0m                 MISSILES:         TOW,ATGM,
                                                       Rockets
 ROTOR DIAM:    8.3m

 ENGINE:        One 650shp           WEAPON LOAD:      7 tons


 PAGE 122
                             M230 30MM CHAINGUN

 Primary  armament  on  the  Apaches.   The  chaingun is a single barrelled,
 externally  powered  weapon that`s driven by a simple chain mechanism.  The
 chain  literally  pulls the rounds of ammunition through the gun, therefore
 greatly  reducing  the  chance  of  a  jam.   The chaingun configuration is
 lighter than gatling guns.

 WEIGHT:        55.9kg             RATE OF FIRE:        625rpm ^ 9

 AIMING MECHANISM:  Helmet mounted sight, or gunner`s sight.

 PRIMARY TARGET:   Medium armoured or unprotected targets


 PAGE 123
                           M197 20MM GATLING GUN

 Primary  armament  on the SuperCobra.  The M197 is a lightweight externally
 powered  3-barrelled  version  of  the  M61A1  Vulcan  6-barrelled  fighter
 aircraft  weapon.   It  uses  the gatling gun principal of rotating barrels
 around  a  common  axis.   This  makes  for  a high rate of fire and limits
 jamming.

 WEIGHT:        66kg             RATE OF FIRE:        3,000rpm

 AIMING MECHANISM:  Helmet mounted sight or gunner`s sight.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Lightly armoured or unprotected targets


                            SUU-11B/A MINIGUN POD

 The  minigun  is  a 7.62mm development of the M61A1 20mm Vulcan 6-barrelled
 gatling gun.  It`s available as a wing-mounted pod weapon on the Blackhawk,
 the  SuperCobra  Kiowa  Warrior  or  Defender,  and it`s also the fixed gun
 weapon  on the defender.  It provides excellent area suppressive fire for a
 small cost in weight.

 WEIGHT:     147kg with 1,500 rds        RATE OF FIRE:     2,000/4,000rpm

 AIMING MECHANISM:  Direct fire along axis of flight.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Unprotected targets.


 PAGE 125
                               GPU-2/A GUN POD

 The  GPU-2/A  is basically a M197 20mm 3-barrelled gatling gun in pod form.
 It`s  a  totally  self contained unit with gun and ammunition.  It even has
 it`s  own  rechargable  power  scource.  All the pilot has to do is aim and
 fire.   It`s  available  as  a  wing-mounted  pod  weapon on the Blackhawk,
 SuperCobra, Kiowa Warrior or Defender

 WEIGHT:   270kg with 300rds              RATE OF FIRE:   1,500 rpm

 AIMING MECHANISM:  Direct fire along axis of flight.

 PRIMARY TARGET:  Lightly armoured or unprotected targets.


                           VIPER 20MM GATLING GUN

 Primary  armament  on the Comanche.  The viper is a lightweight 2-Barrelled
 cannon.   It  uses  an  all  new  configuration,  but is still based on the
 gatling  gun  principal  of  rotating  barrels  around a common axis.  It`s
 speculated  that  it  fires  a  more effective round of ammunition than the
 standard M197 20mm cannon round.

 WEIGHT:   50kg                          RATE OF FIRE:   2,00rpm

 AIMING MECHANISM:  Helmet mounted sight.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Lightly armoured or unprotected targets.


                              AIM 92 STINGER AM

 The  air  launched version of the Stinger has been in operation since 1988.
 Based on the excellent man-made portable system, this system combines a new
 dual  colour  IR  and  UV  seeker  head and a reprogrammable microprocessor
 (RPM).  The missiles are mounted in a twin missile pod system.  The Stinger
 is a very efficient lightweight missile.

 WEIGHT:   47kg twin launcher        MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE: Under 10 km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   IR Homing

 PRIMARY TARGET:   Short range, low-flying targets.


 PAGE 125
                            AIM-9R SIDEWINDER AAM

 The  Sidewinder dates back to the late 1940`s when it was fist developed by
 the  US  Navy.   The current model bears little resemblance to the original
 other  than in outward appearance.  It has gone through innumerable changes
 in it`s lifetime.  The "R" model has an all-aspect seeker head and improved
 low-smoke rocket engine.

 WEIGHT:   87kg                     MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:  18km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   Passive radar homing.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    All airborne targets.


                             AGM-122 SIDEARM AGM

 The  Sidearm  system  evolved  out  of  the  need  to  develop  a low-cost,
 lightweight   anti-radar   missile   .   Unused  Sidewinder  AIM-9C`s  were
 refurbished  and  brought  up to AIM-9L/M standards,and a broadband passive
 radar  seeker  replaced  the  existing seeker.  It will be carried by AV-8B
 Harriers,F-4GPhantom Wild Weasels, and helicopters.

 WEIGHT:   91KG                     MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   15km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:  Passive radar homing.

 PRIMARY TARGET:   SAM and gun control radars

 PAGE 126
                            AGM-65D MAVERICK AGM

 The  Maverick "D" model entered service in 1983 and was a natural follow-on
 to  this  very succesful weapon.  It has replaced the earlier "TV" guidance
 system  with  an imaging infrared system.  The IR system has a much greater
 range  and has ability to "see" through smoke and dust.  Maverick is a true
 fire-and-forget weapon system.

 WEIGHT:   220kg                    MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE: 25km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   IR Homing.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Heavily armoured targets and fortifications.


                           AGM-114A/B HELLFIRE AGM

 Hellfire  is  the  US  Army`s  latest  anti-armour  weapon system.  The "A"
 model`s  laser  seeker  requires  the  target  to be illuminated by a laser
 scource;  however it need not be the launching helicopter.  The "B" model`s
 millimetre  wave  radar seeker is a true fire-and-forget weapon system.  It
 will be carried by the Longbow Apache.

 WEIGHT:   43kg                      MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   6km(A),8km(B)

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   Semi-active laser (A), MMW Radar (B).

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Heavily armoured targets and fortifications.


                              BGM-71D TOW-2 AGM

 The TOW system has been utilised as an airborne ATGM since the Vietnam war.
 It uses semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) guidance.  All the
 operator has to do is keep the cross-hairs centred on the target.  Commands
 are  transmitted on the TOW via a thin wire.  The TOW-2 model has a larger,
 improved warhead.

 WEIGHT:    22kg                     MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   4km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   Command to Line-of-Sight via Wire

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Heavily armoured targets and fortifications.


 PAGE 127
                            HELSTREAK HVM AGM/AAM

 The  Helstreak  High  Velocity Missile (HVM) system is based on the British
 Starstreak  SAM.   It`s laser guided warhead contains three highly accurate
 darts  that  independently  home  in  on the target.  This makes for a high
 coverage  pattern,  which  is important in the air to air role.  With HVMs,
 exposure time is reduced.

 WEIGHT:   40kg                      MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   7km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   Semi-active laser homing.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Medium armoured ground and air targets.


                         PENGUIN-3 ANTI-SHIP MISSILE

 The Norwegian developed Penguin-3 anti-ship missile`s modest weight (as far
 as  ship missiles go) makes it ideally suited for helicopters.  The missile
 is  aimed  at  a  point  on  the surface, and it flies there under it`s own
 inertial  guidance.   Then,  it  switches on it`s IR homer, seeking out the
 heat of the ship against the cool ocean background.

 WEIGHT:   380kg                    MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   40km

 GUIDANCE SYSTEM:   IR Homing.

 PRIMARY TARGET:    Medium and light ships.


 PAGE 128
                           HYDRA 70 ROCKET SYSTEM

 The  Hydra  70  rocket  system  (the  70=70mm,  or 2,75 in.) is a series of
 rockets  each  with a special purpose warhead.  The M261 has a sub-munition
 multipurpose warhead.  The M247 has a shaped-charge warhead for use against
 armoured  targets.   The  M255  has  a  flechette  warhead  for use against
 unarmoured targets or helicopters

 WEIGHT:   9kg             MAXIMUM FIRING RANGE:   2-3km

 GUIDING SYSTEM:   Unguided.

 PRIMARY TARGET:   Varies by warhead type.

 PAGE 129
                          ------------------------
                          THE GROUND AND AIR UNITS
                          ------------------------

                            U.S. AND ALLIED UNITS

 The  friendlies are not so friendlies.  These are the predominate vehicles,
 aircraft and ships you`ll cross paths with throughout your missions.  While
 you`ll  certainly  come  across  many  other  units  (e.g.  trains, trucks,
 buildings,  bridges, oil tanks and airfields), they`re just too numerous to
 mention

                       M1A1 "ABRAMS" MAIN BATTLE TANK

 Unquestionably the finest in the field today, the M1A1 entered the service
 in 1985. It mounts the hard-hitting German Rheinmetall 120mm smoothbore
 cannon (same as the German Leopard 2) backed by a sophisticated fire
 control system. Later version have depleted uranium (DU) armour added to
 the turret and hull fronts.

 WEIGHT:          A57.2 tons          MAIN GUN:          120mm SB, 40rds

 CREW/PASS:       4/0                 MISSILES:          None

 ENGINE:          1,500hp turbine     SEC. GUN:          Three MGs

 SPEED:           64kph               ARMOUR:            Heavy


                           M60A3 MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The  M603A  lineage  dates  from  the  venerable M47s and M48s.  An earlier
 model,  the  M60A1,  saw  great success in the hands of the Israelis.  It`s
 slow  and  tall  by  today`s  standards (not a good combination), but still
 possesses reasonably good armour and firepower.  It`s also fielded by Saudi
 Arabia and Egypt.

 WEIGHT:        52.6tons              MAIN GUN:         105mm,63rds

 CREW/PASS:    4/2                    MISSILES:         None

 ENGINE:       750hp diesel           SEC GUN:          two MGs

 SPEED:        48kph                  ARMOUR:           Heavy

 Page 130
                         CHALLENGER MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The British began design work on a replacement for the Cheiftin in the late
 60's.   The  final  concept  took  a roundabout route, as the Challenger is
 essentially  the  Iranian  Shir-2.  It was designed by the British, for, at
 that  time,  the  Shah led Iran., but the Ayatollah had a different opinion
 about buying tanks from the British.

 WEIGHT         62 tons             MAIN GUN           120mm, 64rds

 CREW/PASS      4/0                 MISSILES           None

 ENGINE         1,200 hp diesel     SECGUN             Two MG's

 MAX SPEED      56kph               ARMOUR             Heavy


                           AMX-30 MAIN BATTLE TANK


 A  French  design,  the AMX-30 entered production in 1966.  Emphasising the
 predominate  European  theories  of the time, its design embraces speed and
 firepower, as armour was considered a secondary factor.  The AMX-30 is also
 fielded  by  a  number of middle eastern nations including Saudi Arabia and
 Qatar.

 WEIGHT:       36 tons             MAIN GUN:   105mm, 47rds

 CREW/PASS:    4/0                 MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:       720 hp multi-fuel   SEC GUN:    One cannon, one MG

 MAX SPEED:    65 kph              ARMOUR:     Medium

                  M2A1 "BRADLEY" INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE

 The  first  Bradleys  entered  active  service  in  1983 after a protracted
 developmental  period;  the  need  was  first identified in 1963.  Its 25mm
 "Bushmaster" chaingun (a relative of the 30mm chaingun mounted on the AH-64
 Apache)  fires highly effective depleted uranium shells; TOW ATGM's provide
 the long-range hitting power.

 WEIGHT:      22.6 tons         MAIN GUN:   25mm, 900rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/7               MISSILES:   TOW-2, 7rds

 ENGINE:      500 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    One MG

 SPEED:       66 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 131
                      WARRIOR MECHANISED COMBAT VEHICLE

 In  the  1970s  the  Brit's embarked on a programme to develop a mechanised
 combat  vehicle.   Somewhat austere by US standards, the Warrior lacks long
 range  missile  capability, and has relatively simple fire control systems.
 But  it's relatively inexpensive, and quite sound mechanically, The Warrior
 entered service in 1987.

 WEIGHT:      24.5 tons         MAIN GUN:   30mm, 228 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/7               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      550 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    one MG

 MAX SPEED:   72 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                      M113A3 ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER

 The  proLific  M113  series  was  Originally  designed in 1956, and entered
 service in 1960.  The A3 versiON entered production in 1987.  The M113 iS a
 "battle-taxi",  designed  to  only  transport the infantry into the general
 vicinity of the battle.  Over 75,000 have been produced.  It's used by many
 middle eastern nations.

 WEIGHT:      12.1 tons         MAIN GUN:   12.7mm MG

 CREW/PASS:   2/10              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      275 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       64 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 132
                       SCORPION RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

 Born  out  of  British  study  conducted in the 1950s, the Scorpion entered
 British  service in 1972.  Its excellent cross-country performance and high
 speed  make  for  the ideal recon vehicle.  The Scorpion's basic design has
 spawned  7  follow-on vehicles.  It's also fielded by Saudi Arabia, UAE and
 Oman.

 WEIGHT:      8.1 tons         MAIN GUN:   76mm, 40rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      190 hp petrol    SEC GUN:    one MG

 MAX SPEED:   81 kph           ARMOUR:     Light

                       SCIMITAR RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

 A  descendant  of  the  Scorpion, the Scimitar followed it into service one
 year later.  The two vehicles differ primarily only in their armament.  The
 scimitar  is  intended to provide area suppressive fire, while still having
 the penetrative power to engage opposing recon and light vehicles

 WEIGHT:      7.8 tons         MAIN GUN:   30mm, 165 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      190 hp petrol    SEC GUN:    one MG

 MAX SPEED:   81 kph           ARMOUR:     Light

                        M901A2 ITV ANTI-TANK VEHICLE

 The ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle) entered service in 1979 as a replacement for
 the  M150  open-topped  TOW vehicle.  It's a M113A2 fitted with the Emerson
 M27 TOW cupola.  The M27 mounts a twin launcher, TOW guidance systems and a
 thermal imager.  The TOW's can be fired and reloaded from "under armour".

 WEIGHT:      13.0 tons         MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:   4/0               MISSILES:   TOW-2, 12 rds

 ENGINE:      215 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       55 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 133
               M163A2 PIVADS SELF-PROPELLED ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN

 The  M163  entered service in 1968; the PIVADS (Product Improved Vulcan Air
 Defence  System)  came  on  to  the scene in 1984.  The system is an M113A1
 chassis with a one-man electrically-driven turret.  The 20mm gatling gun is
 the  same  as used by Air Force Fighters.  Even with its high rate of fire,
 it's very limited.

 WEIGHT:      12.3 tons         MAIN GUN:   20mm, 2100 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      215 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       68 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                        M998 "HUMMER" UTILITY VEHICLE

 The  multi-purpose "Hummer" entered service as a replacement for the famous
 and  ubiquitous Jeep (M151).  The Hummer fulfills many roles, serving as an
 APC,  Scout,  TOW platform and fire support vehicle.  To date, over 100,000
 have been ordered for various branches of the US Armed Forces.

 WEIGHT:      2.3 tons         MAIN GUN:   12.7mm MG

 CREW/PASS:   2/4              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      132 hp diesel    SEC GUN:    None

 MAX SPEED:   105 kph          ARMOUR:     None

 PAGE 134
                   M109A3 SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY VEHICLE

 The  M109  concept  dates  back to 1952, when it was born out of a study on
 self-propelled  artillery.   The  lessons  learned in WW2 and Korea clearly
 spelled the ultimate demise of static arillery.  The M109 series emerged as
 the  standard  by  which all other "SP's" are judged.  It's fielded by most
 NATO members and many other nations.

 WEIGHT:      24.9 tons         MAIN GUN:   155mm, 36 rds

 CREW/PASS:   6/0               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      405 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 MAX SPEED:   56 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                            MRLS ROCKET LAUNCHER

 An  international  design/production  programme,  the MRLS (Multiple Rocket
 Launch  System) entered service in 1983.  The vehicle is partially based on
 the  M2 Bradley chasis.  Its primary rocket is the M77 rocket; each warhead
 contains 644 dual purpose shaped-charge fragmentation bomlets.

 WEIGHT:      25.2 tons         MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:   3/0               MISSILES:   12-227mm rockets

 ENGINE:      500 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 MAX SPEED:   64 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 135
                  LHA TARAWA CLASS AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP

 The first ship of this class has been in service since 1976.  The LHA's are
 intended  to  combine the capabilities of LPH (helicopter carriers) and LPD
 (amphibious  docks)  into  one ship.  Four landing craft are carried in its
 deck.   Its  boilers are the largest ever installed on a US ship.  It has a
 complete 300 bed hospital.

 WEIGHT:      39,400 tons   MAIN GUN:   3x127mm

 CREW/PASS:   1014/1924     MISSILES:   Sea Sparrow SAM

 ENGINE:      70,000 hp     AIRCRAFT:   38 helicopters

 MAX SPEED:   24 kts        or 20 AV-8/B Harriers

                            FF KNOX CLASS FRIGATE

 The  Knox  Class  is  typical  of the many escort frigates built during the
 1970s.   The  class  packs  a large amount of firepower onto a small frame.
 The  Harpoon  SSM's are fired from the forward mounted ASROC launcher.  The
 originally  fitted  Sea  Sparrow  SAM  system,  are  being  replaced by the
 Vulcan/Phalanx 20mm system.

 WEIGHT:      4,250 tons   MAIN GUN:   1x127mm

 CREW/PASS:   275/0        MISSILES:   Harpoon SSM,
                                       ASDRC anti-sub
 ENGINE:      35,000 hp

 MAX SPEED:   27 + kts     AIRCRAFT:   1 helicopter The Op

 PAGE 136
                             THE OPPOSING FORCES
                             -------------------
                           T-80A MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The Soviet T-80A is thought to have entered service in 1983.  It has closer
 development  ties to the T-64 then to the T-72.  It's considered to be only
 an  evolutionary  design,  although  the  gas  turbine-engine  is a radical
 departure.  The AT-8 Songster was added to provide long range capability as
 the 125mm SB's accuracy is poor.

 WEIGHT:      42 tons          MAIN GUN:   125mm SB, 42 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0              MISSILES:   Songster, 2 rds

 ENGINE:      980 hp turbine   SEC GUN:    two MG's

 SPEED:       75 kph           ARMOUR:     Heavy

                           T-64B MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The  original  Soviet T-64's entered service in 1967, and were plagued with
 autoloader  and  engine  problems.   The  "B" model seems to have corrected
 these  problems since it's still in production.  It appears the T-64's were
 the  "high-tech"  option  while  the t-72's embodied the "bargain-basement"
 approach.  The T-64 has never been exported.

 WEIGHT:      42 tons         MAIN GUN:   125mm SB, 42 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0             MISSILES:   Songster, 2 rds

 ENGINE:      750 hp diesel   SEC GUN:    two MG's

 SPEED:       75 kph          ARMOUR:     Heavy

 PAGE 137
                          T-72M1 MAINS BATTLE TANK

 The  T-72  followed  shortly after the T-64, entering service in 1971.  The
 T-72  series  has had a long career, and has been exported to many nations.
 Over  a dozen sub-models have been identified to date.  This model features
 enhanced  turret  armour,  resulting  in the nickname "Dolly Parton".  It's
 also fielded by Iraq, Syria and Kuwait.

 WEIGHT:      41 tons         MAIN GUN:   125mm SB 39 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0             MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      780 hp diesel   SEC GUN:    two MG's

 SPEED:       80 kph          ARMOUR:     Heavy

                           T-62E MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The  Soviet  T-62  was  developed  from  the  earlier T-54/T-55 series, and
 entered  service  in  the  early  1960's.  It was the first tank to mount a
 smoothbore  gun.   Its low ballistic shape was a plus, but otherwise it was
 mediocre.   The  "E"  model features add-on "horseshoe" turret armour and a
 laser sight.  It's also fielded by Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      41.1 tons         MAIN GUN: 115mm SB, 40 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0               MISSILES: None

 ENGINE:      580 hp diesel     SEC GUN:  two MG's

 SPEED:       50 kph            ARMOUR:   Heavy

 PAGE 138
                           T-55M1 MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The  latest  version  of  the Soviet T-55 (the first entered service in the
 late  1950s)  features  add-on "horseshoe" turret armour and a laser sight.
 This  is  your  basic  "no  frills"  tank;  simplicity  is  king here.  The
 T-54/T-55's are the most widely exported of all Soviet MBT's and is fielded
 by over 40 nations including Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      37.0 tons         MAIN GUN:   100mm, 43 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      580 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    two MG's

 SPEED:       50 kph            ARMOUR:     Heavy

                         CHIEFTAIN MAIN BATTLE TANK

 The  British  designed Chieftain introduced a number of innovations when it
 appeared  in  1963.   It  was  the first tank to mount a 120mm gun, and its
 highly  sloped armour provided then unheard of protection.  Yet still, it's
 slow  and  relatively  clumsy.  Iraq does field a large force, but acquired
 them as war booty from Iran and Kuwait.

 WEIGHT:      55 tons             MAIN GUN:   120mm, 64 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0                 MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      750 hp multi-fuel   SEC GUN:    three MG's

 SPEED:       48 kph              ARMOUR:     Heavy

 PAGE 139
                       BMP-2 INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE

 The  BMP-2  is an upgrade of the Soviet BMP-1, and probably entered service
 around  1980.   It saw the poor 73mm gun replaced with a high-velocity 30mm
 auto-cannon.   The  commander  was  moved  from  the  hull  to  the turret,
 improving labour distribution and vision.  The Sagger was replaced with the
 longer-ranged Spandrel.

 WEIGHT:      14.6 tons         MAIN GUN:   30mm, 500 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/7               MISSILES:   Spandrel, 5 rds

 ENGINE:      400 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       65 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                       BMP-1 INFANTRY FIGHTING VEHICLE

 The Soviet BMP-1 caused quite a stir when it entered service in 1967.  This
 revolutionary  design  was  the  first  to  combine cannon, ATGM and a full
 infantry  squad  with  under armour fire capability.  Its 73mm gun has poor
 long  range  accuracy,  and  the  one-man turret is inefficient.  It's also
 fielded by Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      13.9 tons         MAIN GUN:   73mm SB, 40 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/8               MISSILES:   Sagger, 5 rds

 ENGINE:      300 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       70 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                   BTR-60/70/80 ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER

 The first version of this Soviet APC, the BTR-60, entered service in 1960s.
 These  vehicles  are rather mediocre in all respects.  The later models did
 overcome  a number of flaws; at least the BTR-80 (data is for this vehicle)
 did  replace the volatile petrol engines.  The BTR-60 is fielded by most of
 the middle eastern nations.

 PAGE 140

 WEIGHT:      10.5 tons         MAIN GUN:   14.5mm, 500 rds

 CREW/PASS:   2/12              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      260 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       80 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                      MT-LB ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER

 The  Soviet  MT-LB  design  closely followed the MT-L arctic tractor.  This
 accounts  for  its  excellent cross-country performance.  Typical roles for
 the  MT-LB  include  artillery prime mover, command post and cargo carrier.
 Its chasis is also the basis for a number of other vehicles.

 WEIGHT:      9.7 tons         MAIN GUN:   7.62mm MG

 CREW/PASS:   2/10             MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      240 hp diesel    SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       62 kph           ARMOUR:     Light

                   EE-11 URUTU ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER

 The  Brazilian  EE-11 first entered service in 1974.  By all measures, it's
 non-descript,  basic every day APC.  Even its wheeled configuration is much
 easier  to maintain than a tracked arrangement.  Like its cousin, the Ee-9,
 it has been exported to many nations including Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      14 tons         MAIN GUN:   12.7mm MG

 CREW/PASS:   2/11            MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      260 hp diesel   SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       105 kph         ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 141
                        BRDM-2 RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

 The  Soviet  BRDM-2  replaced its predecessor, the BRDM-1 in the mid-1960s.
 its  also  used  as  a  command  or  an  observer  vehicle.   It has become
 outclassed  by  more  modern  vehicles,  and its 14.5mm gun is outdated and
 inadequate.  It's also fielded by most of the middle eastern nations.

 WEIGHT:      7.0 tons         MAIN GUN:   14.5mm, 500 rds

 CREW/PASS:   2/3              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      140 hp petrol    SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       100 kph          ARMOUR:     Light

                        AML-90 RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

 The French ordered the construction of this light recon vehicle after their
 successful  use of the British Ferret scout car in North Africa; the AML-90
 entered  service in 1961.  Over 5,000 AML's have been built to date in many
 configurations.  It's fielded by Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      5.5 tons         MAIN GUN:   90mm, 20 rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0              MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      A90 hp petrol    SEC GUN:    one MG

 SPEED:       90 kph           ARMOUR:     Light

                    EE-9 CASCAVEL RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

 Of  Brazilian  design,  the  Ee-9  entered service in 1974.  It shares many
 automotive  components  with  the  EE-11  APC.  It now mounts a 90mm gun of
 Brazilian  design;  earlier  models  had  37mm  guns from WW2 vintage US M3
 Stuart  tanks.  It's very simple yet robust, and this has made it a popular
 export.  It's fielded by Iraq.

 PAGE 142

 WEIGHT:      13.4 tons         MAIN GUN:   90mm, 44rds

 CREW/PASS:   3/0               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      212 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    two MG's

 SPEED:       100 kph           ARMOUR:     Light

                          BRDM-3 ANTI-TANK VEHICLE

 The  Soviet BRDM/Spandrel (often called the BRDM-3) was first seen in 1977.
 It  has  replaced  the  less  capable BRDM-Sagger combination in front line
 service.   The  missiles  are  fired  from  a  roof mounted launcher.  Some
 vehicles have been seen with Spandrel/Spigot missile combination.

 WEIGHT:      7.7 tons         MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:   3/2              MISSILES:   Spandrel, 15 rds

 ENGINE:      140 hp petrol    SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       100 kph          ARMOUR:     Light

                  256 30MM/SA-19 SELF-PROPELLED AA VEHICLE

 The  Soviet 256 was first seen in 1986 in then East Germany.  It appears to
 be  a very capable gun & missile system.  Its four 30mm guns, although much
 longer,  probably  share ammo with BMP-2.  The SA-19 SAMS are IR homers and
 probably have a range of 10km.  It has separate search and track radars and
 a laser ranger.

 WEIGHT:      18.0 tons         MAIN GUN:   4x30mm, 2000 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0               MISSILES:   SA-19, 8 rds

 ENGINE:      520 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       60 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

 PAGE 143
                  ZSU-23(4) "SHILKA" SELF PROPELLED AA GUN

 The  Soviet  ZSU-23(4),  or  "Zoo" as it's known to western forces, entered
 service in 1966.  Each 23mm gun has a rate-of-fire of 1000 rpm.  Its single
 search/track  J-band  fire control radar has a range of 20 km.  It's a very
 effective  system  when  employed  with  missile  armed systems.  It's also
 fielded by Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      14 tons         MAIN GUN:   4x23mm, 200 rds

 CREW/PASS:   4/0             MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      280 hp diesel   SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       44 kph          ARMOUR:     Light

                       ZSU-57(2) SELF-PROPELLED AA GUN

 The  first  post-WW2  eastern  bloc AA system, the Soviet ZSU-57(2) entered
 service  in  1955.   Its  chassis  is based on the T-54 tank, but with much
 thinner  armour.   Its  twin 57mm guns are quite effective in a ground fire
 role,  but  have  limited AA capability due to its mechanical reflex sight.
 It's still fielded by Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      28.1 tons         MAIN GUN:   2x57mm, 316 rds

 CREW/PASS:   6/0               MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      520 hp diesel     SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       50 kph            ARMOUR:     Light

                  SA-6 "GAINFUL" SELF-PROPELLED SAM VEHICLE

 The  Soviet  Gainful  had  a  long and troubled development period, finally
 entering  service in 1967.  It saw much success in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
 The  SA-6 missile uses semi-active radar homing guidance.  Gainful works in
 conjunction  with  the "Straight-Flush" radar system.  It's also fielded by
 Egypt, Syria and Iraq.


 WEIGHT:      14 tons           MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:   3/0               MISSILES:   SA-6,3rds

 ENGINE:      240hp diesel      SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       44kph             ARMOUR:     Light


 PAGE 144
                 SA-13 "GOPHER: SELF PROPELLED SAM VEHICLE

 The Soviet Gopher entered service in 1977.  In Soviet units, it`s replacing
 the  older  Gaskin  on  a  one-for-one  basis.   The  SA-13 missile is very
 capable.   It uses radar only for ranging as the missile is an IR homer; it
 has  a  range  of 8km.  The Gopher utilises a variant of the MT-LB chassis.
 It`s also fielded by Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:     12.5tons             MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:  3/0                  MISSILES:   SA-13,4rds

 ENGINE:     240hp Diesel         SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:      60kph                ARMOUR:     Light


                2S1 SO-122 SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY VEHICLE

 The Soviet "Gvozdika" (carnation) entered service in 1971.  Outwardly, it`s
 appearance  is very similar to the US M109.  The Soviets were slow to adopt
 self-propelled  artilery,  continuing  to  rely on towed weapons.  SP`s are
 less  vunerable  to counter battery fire and provide crew protection.  It`s
 also fielded by Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:     16 tons              MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:  4/0                  MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:     240hp diesel         SEC GUN:    One MG

 SPEED:      60kph                ARMOUR:     Light


 PAGE 145

                            S60 ANTI AIRCRAFT GUN

 The Soviet S-60 is indicative of the many types and calibres of towed/fixed
 anti-aircraft guns still in use today.  While limited in their flexibility,
 they   are  as  accurate,  or  more  accurate  in  some  cases  than  their
 self-propelled  counterparts.   Towed  guns  are  fielded  by  many nations
 including most middle eastern nations.

 WEIGHT:      4.5 tons               MAIN GUN:   57mm,200rds

 CREW/PASS:   7/0                    MISSILES:   None

 ENGINE:      None                   SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:       Towed                  ARMOUR:     None


                  SA-3 "GOA" LOW/MEDIUM ALTITUDE SAM SYSTEM

 The Soviet Goa is obsolete by today`s standards; it entered service in
 1961. Aircraft counter-measures have made significant advances rendering
 missiles of the Goa era almost useless. However, there`s always luck. The
 Goa is a radar beam rider; it works with the "Low Blow" radar system. It`s
 also fielded by Iraq.

 WEIGHT:     7.0 tons                MAIN GUN:   None

 CREW/PASS:  3/0                     MISSILES:   SA-3,4rds

 ENGINE:     None                    SEC GUN:    None

 SPEED:      Towed                   ARMOUR:     None

 PAGE 146
                           MI-24W "HIND-E" GUNSHIP

 The Soviet Hind first appeared in 1972.  It was originally designed as a
 heavily armed assault helicopter, but has evolved into a capable gunship.
 It lacks the nap-of-the-earth maneuvrability of its western counterparts.
 Still, it carries a heavy load, and has retained its transport capacity.
 It's also flown by Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      12 tons         MAIN GUN:   12.7mm

 CREW/PASS:   2/8             MISSILES:   Spiral ATGM.

 ENGINE:      two 2,200 shp   ROCKETS:    SA-7 AAM

 MAX SPEED:   295 kph         WEAPON LOAD: 2.4 tons

                    MI-8TBK "HIP-E" TRANSPORT HELICOPTER

 When it first appeared in 1961, the Soviet Hip was a simple, quasi-military
 transport  helicopter.   After  years of modifications, the Hip has evolved
 into  one of the most widely accepted military helicopters with over 10,000
 in use.  It's described as the most heavily armed assault helicopter.  It's
 flown by Egypt, Syria and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      11.2 tons         MAIN GUN:      12.7mm

 CREW/PASS:   2/28              MISSILES:      Swatter ATGM
                                               Rockets
 ENGINE:      two 1,700 shp

 MAX SPEED:   130 kts           WEAPON LOAD:   3 tons

 PAGE 147
                            MI-28 "HAVOC" GUNSHIP

 Often  described  as  the Soviet Apache, the Havoc completed pre-production
 testing in 1989.  A true gunship, as opposed to the Hind's hybrid approach,
 the  Havoc's  narrow  silhouette and tandem seating are much more suited to
 its  role.   Its  high  speed  agility has also been enhanced by anew rotor
 structure.

 WEIGHT:      11.4 tons         MAIN GUN:      30mm, 300 rds

 CREW/PASS:   2/0               MISSILES:      Spiral ATGM, Rockets
                                               SA-14 AAM
 ENGINE:      two 2,200 shp

 MAX SPEED:   165 kts           WEAPON LOAD:   3 tons

                       KA-34 "HOKUM" COMBAT HELICOPTER

 By  1990,  the Soviet Hokum was still in the testing stage.  The exact role
 of  the  helicopter  is  not yet known.  Kamov (Ka) helicopters have always
 been produced mainly for maritime roles.  It may be intended for amphibious
 assault  escort  or  anti-helicopter  combat.  It has the distinctive Kamov
 mark of contra-rotating rotors.

 WEIGHT:      7.5 tons    MAIN GUN:      30mm, 300 rds

 CREW/PASS:   2/0         MISSILES:      Spiral ATGM, Rockets
                                         SA-14 AAm
 ENGINE:   two 2,200 shp

 MAX SPEED:   190 kts     WEAPON LOAD:   2.3 tons

 PAGE 148
                      SA-342 GAZELLE UTILITY HELICOPTER

 The  French  Gazelle  first  flew  in  1967.   It has been utilised in many
 different  roles,  from  recon,  liason and light attack, and many civilian
 applications.   A  disguised  Gazelle  was used in the filming of the movie
 Blue  Thunder.   It  has  been  exported to over 41 nations including Great
 Britain, Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq.

 WEIGHT:      2.1 tons       MAIN GUN:       None

 CREW/PASS:   2/3            MISSILES:       Hot ATGM, Rockets,
                                             SA-7 AAM.
 ENGINE:      one 858 shp

 MAX SPEED:   140 kts        WEAPON LOAD:    1.2 tons

                   OSA-11 CLASS GUIDED MISSILE PATROL BOAT

 A  replacement  for  the  earlier  OSA-I  boats,  the OSA-II's have been in
 service  since  1966.   A  favourite of many smaller or developing nations,
 these boats can provide an instant navy at low cost.  The SA-N-5 SAM is the
 navalized  version  of  the  SA-7  Grail.   Said  to be poor sea boats with
 temperamental engines.

 WEIGHT:       245 tons     MAIN GUN:   4x30mm

 CREW/PASS:    30/0         MISSILES:   Styx SSM,Rockets
                                        SA-N-5 SAM
 ENGINE:       15,000 hp

 MAX SPEED:    140 kts      AIRCRAFT:   None

 PAGE 149
                          T-4 CLASS LANDING CRAFT

 The  Soviet  T-4  class  has been in service since 1954.  It's not all that
 different from the landing craft that saw action during WW2.

 WEIGHT:      70 tons    MAIN GUN:  None

 CREW/PASS:   5/50       MISSILES:  None

 ENGINE:      600 hp     AIRCRAFT:  None

 MAX SPEED:   10 kts     LOAD:      1xTank

 PAGE 151
                                  APPENDIX
                                  --------

                            REGIONAL DEPLOYMENTS
                            --------------------

                               CENTRAL EUROPE
                               --------------

                               CURRENT EVENTS

 This area has gone through more change, in a short period of time, than any
 regional  area  in the twentieth-century.  Ten years ago, no one could have
 predicted what is now taking place.

 Germany   is   re-united   and   the  Warsaw  Pact  has  collapsed  into  a
 quasi-political  organisation;  its  military  teeth  are  gone.  Civil and
 political  strife  continues  to  escalate  in  the  Soviet Union; this has
 further de-stabilized the region.

 The  Soviet  Union is a giant teetering on the brink of civil war.  The old
 guard  conservatives  and the liberal progressives (right-wing moderates by
 our  standards)  are  each  vying  for  control  of  the  country.  Whoever
 ultimately  evolves  as  the  victor will have a far-reaching effect on the
 military stability of the region.

 Western  Europe is a very appealing target.  Its consumer goods, resources,
 technology  and  labour  force  are  hard  to  ignore.   The  Soviet Union,
 regardless  of  who  wins  political  supremacy, has tremendous "needs" and
 corresponding expectations.  They will get the goods one way or another.

 The  ex-Soviet  client states are also a potential hotbed.  Their new found
 freedom  has  opened  the  door for secularism to again rear its ugly head.
 There  have  been  clashes  between  the Czechs and Slovaks, and the Baltic
 States are constantly at odds with their old master.

 These  internal  conflicts  have a habit of escalating to major proportions
 and drawing in other "interested parties".

                              MILITARY BALANCE

 Even  without the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact Forces, the Soviet Union can still
 field  over 3,000,000 men just in the land forces.  Equipment includes over
 50,000  tanks,  70,000  IFVs  and APCs, 60,000 pieces of artillery and over
 4.500  helicopters.  There's no question that a portion of the equipment is
 obsolete and is no longer of first line status, even by Soviet standards.

 PAGE 152

 The  Conventional  Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) is being touted by many as
 the  greatest  peace initiative since the Treaty of Ghent.  Don't be fooled
 by all the rhetoric.

 The  CFE treaty calls for equal force limits in five broad categories MBTs,
 AFVs,  artillery  pieces,  combat  aircraft  and  armed helicopters.  These
 categories   were  arbitrarily  selected  because  of  their  reference  to
 "offensive"  weapons.  These limits affect the forces fielded by all treaty
 signers (it was signed by the 212 members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  The
 immediate result of the treaty - many nations, especially the Soviet Union,
 must dispose of tons of military equipment.

 Here's  were  it gets sticky.  The treaty simply allows the Soviet Union to
 dispose  of outdated equipment or to just hold or store it east of the Ural
 mountains.    Only   the   countries  physically  located  in  Europe  must
 permanently dispose of their equipment.

 Ofcourse, the USA aLsO benefits frOm this appareNt "loonhole".  Much of the
 US equipment must be stationed outside of Europe (the Persian Gulf region,
 for example) or returned to the USA.  The question is, how long will it
 take to move it back?

 The  area  boasts  of  some  of the most fertile ground found in the world.
 Parts  are  mountainous  or  heavily forested, while others are as flat and
 clear as the plains of Kansas.  Towns and villages dot a countryside cut by
 many  small  rivers  and  their  tributaries and  criss-crossed by a highly
 developed road and rail net.

 Soviet forces cross the border into the new Germany after "rescuing" Poland
 from  Western  European dominance.  Economic woes and a restless, impatient
 populace  prompt  the  new  conservative  Soviet government to use military
 might  to  quickly solve their problems.  After all, the aggressive Western
 Europeans,  backed  by the equally aggressive USA, have forced them to take
 this action to protect their borders.

 As  part  of  the US V Corp, you must stern the Soviet tide to buy time for
 the mobilization of all NATO forces and the re-deployment of US forces from
 other regions.

 PAGE 153
                                PERSIAN GULF
                                ------------

                               CURRENT EVENTS

 The  recent  events in this  region  have  been near and dear to all of our
 hearts.   It  couldn`t have had a better ending if it had been written as a
 hollywood movie script.  Still, conflict is a way of life here.

 The  region  has  seen  constant  war  dating  back  to biblical times.  In
 addition  to  the  most recent UN sanctioned action, the past 50 years have
 witnessed  constant  civil  wars and changes of government (mostly bloody),
 five Arab-Israeli conflicts, regional clashes, terrorism, internal genocide
 and a proracted war between Iran/Iraq...not a pretty picture when you think
 about it.

 It  remains  an extremely volatile region.  The coalition force that fought
 in  Operations  Desert  Storm  and  Sabre  are  held  together by a thread.
 Countries  now  stand  beside  allies  whom  they  only  recently fought as
 enemies.   The  smallest  provocation could trigger a confrontation between
 these  strange bedfellows.
 No-one  has  forgotten  the  old  hatreds,  there was just something else a
 little more pressing.

 The  poor  Arab  states hate the rich Arab states;the communist Arab states
 hate  the  monarchies; most of  the  Arab  states hate the Israelis and the
 Egyptians  because they don`t like the Israelis this year; and the Iranians
 generally  hate  Arabs because they`re Arabs, not Persians.  In addition to
 all this, Lebanon looks like a wasteland since just about everyone is using
 it as a pin cushion to work out their differences.

 In  spite  of  this, don`t let anyone tell you different, oil is the focus.
 That`s not to say that these other issues are just passing fancies.  It`s a
 matter  of  the have nots wanting what the haves have, or the haves wanting
 more.  Economics, not politics is calling the shots.

                              MILITARY BALANCE

 The  recent  conflict  has  left the area in a very fluid state, to say the
 least.  In spite of the drubbing they took, the Iraqis still posess a large
 fighting force - even if most of them are now on foot.  How many men remain
 in uniform and how much equipment is still in Iraqi hands is unknown.  They
 were  able  to  save the majority of their aircraft by flying them over the
 border to Iran.

 To  the  east of Iraq is Iran; not one of our closest allies by any stretch
 of  the  imagination.   They appear to be perched like vultures; waiting to
 pounce  on  any  opportunity.   They  field  a  750,000 man army,but modern
 mechanised equipment is limited or in disrepair.

 PAGE 154

 Another  potential  antagonist  is Syria.  They have never really cared for
 the rich royalty of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.  After all, Syria doesn't have
 much  oil  to  speak  of - see, that oil issue again!  They only went along
 with  the  coalition not being as shortsighted as Jordan, because they knew
 Iraq couldn't win.  There was a lot of money to be had from those same rich
 Arabs.   They  have a 400,000 man army, with the equipment to back them up.
 While always considered a bit suspect militarily, they can't be overlooked.

 With  the exception of Israel and Egypt, the other Arab States field rather
 small forces.

 This  is  a desert region, pretty much hot, flat and generally barren.  The
 cities   are   situated   on   the   coasts,  with the   exception  of  the
 Tigris-Euphrates  valley  (the fountain of life - a bit of irony) that runs
 through most of Iraq.  The topography of Iran is, however, quite different.
 It's fairly mountainous and water is plentiful.

 Still  licking her wounds from the last war and bitter about the UN imposed
 sanctions,  Iraq allies with Iran (that was part of the plan all along) and
 launches  a  renewed  offensive  into  Kuwait  and Saudi Arabia.  They have
 managed to "buy" off Syria who decides to sit this one out.

 As part of the standing US Persian Gulf force, you must hold the line while
 the RDF is staged into the region.

 PAGE 155

                         WEAPONS EFFECTIVENESS CHART
                        ----------------------------
                         SAM THREAT CHARACTERISTICS

                                BACKUP                              BACKUP
 WEAPON              TRACKING   TRACKING   GUIDANCE   GUIDANCE       USE

 SA-7B "Grail"       none       none       IR(C)      none          man-portable

 SA-14A "Gremlin"    none       none       IR(B)      none          man-portable

 SA-16A "Goblin"     none       none       IR(B+)     none          man-portable

 SA-3B "Goa"         radar      visual     radar(D)   visual        fixed battery

 SA-6B "Gainful"     radar      none       radar(C)   visual        vehicle mounted

 SA-9B "Gaskin"      visual     none       IR(C+)     none          vehicle mounted

 SA-11A "Gadfly"     radar      none       radar(B)   visual        vehicle mounted

 SA-13A"Gopher"      radar      visual     IR(B)      none          vehicle mounted

 SA-19A              radar      visual     laser(A)   IR(A)         vehicle mounted

 NOTES ON USE:e

 Man-portable  SAMs are utilised by infantry, carried in APCs and most light
 vehicles  and  used  to  defend  structures.  Guidance system effectiveness
 evaluates use against helicopters.

                         AAA THREAT CHARACTERISTICS


 WEAPON       TRACKING   TRACKING   BACKUP   USE
                                    EFF

 S-60 57mm    radar      visual     C        towed gun

 ZU-23 23mm   visual     visual     C+       towed gun

 ZSU-57(2)    visual     visual     D        vehicle system

 ZSU-23(4)    radar      visual     B        vehicle system

 2S6          radar      laser      A        vehicle system

 NOTES ON USE:
 ------------
 Effectiveness evaluates use against helicopters.

 PAGE 156

                               WEAPON SYSTEMS


     MAX RANGE   "A" TARGETS                 "D" TARGETS

     1,500 m     Medium armoured,             heavy armoured
                 unarmoured, all aircraft
     1,500 m     light armoured,              heavy armoured
                 unarmoured, all aircraft
     1,000 m     unarmoured                   armoured aircraft

     2,000 m     all armoured,naval           unarmoured

     2,000 m     unarmoured helicopters       armoured

     2,000 m     medium armoured,             heavy armoured
                 unarmoured
     4,000 m     all armoured, naval          unarmoured

     6,000 m     all armoured,                unarmoured
                 helicopters, naval

     8,000 m     all armoured,                unarmoured
                 helicopters, naval
     15,000 m    all radar sources            aircraft

     25,000 m    all armoured naval           aircraft

     40,000 m    naval                        land based,
                                              aircraft

     18,000 m    all aircraft                 land/sea based

     5,000 m     most aircraft                land/sea based

     7,000 m     medium armoured,              heavy armoured
                 helicopters
 PAGE 157
                                  GLOSSARY


 AA:              Anti-aircraft.  Guns designed to shoot down aircraft.

 AAA:             Anti-aircraft artillery; also referred to as "triple-A".
                  Used mostly to refer to heavy AA guns, but is generally
                  synonymous with AA.

 AAM:             Air-to-air missile.

 ADF:             Automatic Direction Finding.  A device to home in on
                  transmitted navigational signals.

 AFCS:            Automatic flight control system.  This device provides
                  the control mechanisms for the autopilot and auto-hover
                  systems.

 AGM:             Air-to-ground missile

 AH-xx:           US designation for attack helicopters.  Examples are AH-64
                  Apache and AH-66 Comanche.

 APC:             Armoured Personnel Carrier.  A tracked or wheeled vehicle
                  that transports an infantry squad.  Most carry machine-gun
                  type weapons.

 AFV:             Armoured fighting vehicle.  Armoured vehicle designed for
                  front line combat.

 APR-39:          Lightweight digital threat warning system.  Designed for
                  use on helicopters and light fixed-wing aircraft.  It's
                  optimised for NOE flight.

 APU:             Auxiliary power unit.

 ATGM:            Anti-tank guided missile.  A powered missile guided by
                  wire, radio, infrared or laser commands.  TOW-2 and
                  Hellfire are ATGM.

 AUX Power Unit:  Auxiliary power unit.  Small on-board turbine engine used
                  to provide power to start the main engines.

 Battalion:       A military organization with two or more companies.
                  Cavalry or helicopter battalions are often called
                  "Squadrons".  It typically has 500 to 1,500 men.

 PAGE 158

 BMP-x:           Bronevaya Maschina Piekhota.  Soviet built IFV.

 BRDM-x:          Bronevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozomaya Maschina.  Soviet
                  built reconnaissance vehicle.

 Brigade:         In the US Army, a military organisation with two or more
                  battalions.  It typically has 3,000 to 6,000 men.

 BTR-xx:          Bronetransportr.  Soviet built wheeled APC.

 CBU:             Cluster bomb unit.  A bomb that bursts in to many smaller
                  bomblets; utilised to cover a wide area.

 Chaff:           Radar decoy.  Composed of thousands of different sized
                  metal film strips.  Produces varying radar reflections.

 CM:              Counter-measures.  Jammers and decoys.

 CO:              The commanding officer.

 Collective:      Helicopter flight control used to "collectively" change
                  the pitch of the main rotor blades.

 Commo:           Communications.

 Company:         A military organisation with two or more platoons.
                  Cavalry or helicopter companies are often called "Troops".
                  It typically has 100 to 300 men.

 CP/G:            Co-pilot/gunner.  The "front seater" in helicopters with
                  tandem seating (rear seater in the Comanche).  The CP/G
                  sits on the left in helicopters with side-by-side seating.

 Cyclic:          Helicopter flight control used to selectively change the
                  pitch of the main rotor blades.

 Ditch:           A term for crash landing.

 FARP:            Forward arming & refuelling point.  A highly mobile
                  helicopter base; it's normally airlifted by heavy
                  transport helicopters.

 Fast Movers:     Slang term for conventional jet aircraft.

 PAGE 159

 Flare:          A cartridge shaped source of intense heat energy.  Normally
                 launched in groups of three cartridges each with a
                 different heat frequency.

 FLIR:           Forward looking infrared.  Sighting device that "reads" the
                 heat signature of objects.

 FLOT:           Forward line, own troops.  Current designation for the line
                 closest to the enemy.

 Flying a Desk:  Staff or command job with no flight duties.

 GPS:            Global positioning system.  Satellite based navigation
                 system.

 HEAT:           High explosive, anti-tank.  A type of warhead designed to
                 punch through steel armour. Fitted on most ATGMs.

 Heavy Section:  Helicopter flight group composed of three helicopters.

 HQ:             Head Quarters.

 HUD:            Head-up display.  A piece of glass mounted on the front of
                 the cockpit, arranged so the pilot can look forward through
                 the glass. Important combat and flight information is
                 reflected off the HUD.  The images are superimposed over
                 the outside world; the pilot can look through the HUD and
                 retain the images.

 ICS:            Internal communication system.  Used for communication
                 within a helicopter.

 IFV:            Infantry fighting vehicle.  A tracked vehicle that
                 transports an infantry squad. Usually armed with small
                 calibre cannons.

 In Constraints: Term used to describe when a weapon is within its maximum
                 range and target envelope.

 INS:            Inertial navigation system.  A device that tracks
                 helicopter's current position and desired destinations.

 IR:             Infrared.  A portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum where
                 the intensity of the signal is related to its heat signature.

 ITV:            Improved TOW vehicle.  The current US TOW platform - the
                 M901.

 PAGE 160

 JAMMER:         A scource ofintense infrared or radar energy used to confuse
                 or "spoof" weapon systems.

 Ka-xx:          Helicopters designed by the Soviet Kamov Bureau.

 Klick:          Slang for Kilometre

 Knot:           A measure of horizontal motion equal to 1.1 miles per hour

 LGB:            Laser glide bomb. A bomb guided by reflected laser energy.

 Light section:  Helicopter flight group composed of two helicopters.

 LZ:             Landing zone.

 Mask/Unmask:    Terms used to describe the use of naturally occuring
                 objects as cover

 MBT:            Main battle tank.

 MEDEVAC:        Medical evacuation. The transportation of wounded troops.

 MFD:            Multi-function display.

 Mi-xx:          Helicopters designed by the Soviet Mil Bureau.

 MiG-xx:         Aircraft designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Bureau.

 MPSM:           Multi-purpose submunition. A type of new Hydra 70 rocket
                 system for helicopters. The M261 rocket has 9 bomblets, or
                 submunitions, each with it`s own explosive charge per rocket.

 MRLS:           Multiple rocket launching system. The newest Western
                 artillery rocket system.

 NATO:           The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.A mutual defence
                 treaty that includes 16 nations. They are all European
                 based with the exception of the United States and Canada
                 NATO is important to the central European front, because it
                 forms the basis whereby US, British and Canadian forces are
                 stationed in  Germany.

 OH-XX:          US. designation for observation helicopters. Example is
                 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
 Passage
 point:          Safe, no-fire area for flight through friendly troops.


 PAGE 161

 Platoon:       The military organisation subordinate to a company. It
                typically has 25 to 30 men.

 Primary:       The most important mission of a flight.

 Pull Pitch:    To quickly add collective control

 RDF:           Rapid Deployment Force. A US military force composed of
                "quick" move military formations. It`s intended to be used
                as a timely response to "hotspots" around the world.

 Reticle:       A small, circular glass positiond over the right eye.
                Important combat and flight information is reflected off the
                reticle, not unlike the HUD.  The images are superimposed
                over the outside world; the pilot can look in any direction
                and still retain the images.

 S2:            Battalion level intelligence officer. He finds and
                summarises all information about the enemy.

 SAM:           Surface-to-Air missiles

 SEAD:          Suppression of enemy air defences. A term to describe a
                mission to destroy enemy air defence units.

 Secondary:     Targets of lesser importance than the primary.

 SOP:           Standard operating procedure. Doing it by the "book" or
                operating manual.

 SSM:           Surface to surface missile.

 Su-xx:         Aircraft designed by the Soviet Sukhoi Bureau.

 TADS:          Target acquisition and designation system. A device mounted
                on the Apache helicopter that`s used to lock onto targets
                and control the laser designator.

 TF:            Task Force. A battalion or squadron sized combat formation
                composed of mixed combat elements

 Thermal
 Imager:        Similar to a FLIR, but "tuned" to objects more than
                structures.

 PAGE 162


 TOC:           Tactical operations centre.  A small command tent. usually
                set up in the field

 UH-xx:         US designation for utility helicopters. Example is UH-60k/L
                Blackhawk.

 Visiononics:   A collective term to describe all helicopter mounted sighting
                devices.

 VOR:           VHF omni-directional range. A radio beacon used for
                navigation.
 Warsaw
 Pact:          Formed as a counter to NATO, it was origionally composed of 7
                eastern European nations. It was a purely military
                organisation dominated by the Soviet Union. It has now
                dissolved into a loose political group.

 Waypoint:      An interim navigational point used in conjunction with
                the INS:
 Weapons
 Free:          A term used to describe full freedom to utilise weapons
                against targets.

 PAGE 163
                              DESIGNER`S NOTES
                              ----------------
                                  THE PLAN

 It  was  a bit scary when MicroProse`s President, Bill Stealey, origionally
 proposed a sequal to the highly successful Gunship.  The first thought that
 came to mind was, how could we possibly top that product?

 After  the  smelling  salts were passed around, we started to kick around a
 few  ideas.  That really got the creative juices flowing, and it started to
 seem like a great idea-now we wished we had said it first.

 We  knew  that  the  new simulator had to be much broader in scope than the
 origional.  It would have  to include most of the neat helicopters that the
 Army  (sorry  Marines,  we`ll  give  you  equal  time  at a later scenario)
 currently  have in their inventory, plus ones that are still on the drawing
 board.   This  futuristic  perspective is where the 2000 in the title comes
 from.

 We  were  lucky  in  one  respect.  Early on we guessed that the army would
 select the  Boeing/Sikorsky  version of the LHX, now designated the AH-661A
 Comanche.We  knew  that  if  we  went in that direction, we were committed,
 since  the  army  wasn`t  going to make it`s final selection until April of
 1991.  You know what they always say-I would rather be lucky than good.

 We   also   wanted   to   expand   into   the   operational  components  of
 multi-helicopter command.  Not that flying a single helicopter can`t be fun
 (after  all,  we did retain that capability) it`s just that there`s more to
 helicopter operations.

 We  tried  to go to extremes to capture the "realism" of helicopter combat.
 Real  action doesn`t take place at 2000 feet.  It happens right next to the
 ground.   You feel like you`re going to suck the leaves right off the trees
 as  you fly by.  This is why Gunship 2000 is the way that it is.  We wanted
 you right next to the ground, weaving in and out of the canyons and between
 the hills just like the real pilots.

 We  made  the "bad guys" act like bad guys, to a point- we still wanted you
 to  have  fun.   After  all, this is supposed to be fun, not work.  We only
 took a few liberties with the realism.

 The selection of the Persian Gulf was made, believe it or not , long before
 the actual conflict erupted in that region.  It`s not that we have a corner
 on  crystal balls; the region has been a hotbed for years.  It was really a
 pretty  easy call.  It`s lucky the real thing worked out as well as it did.
 We  never  intended  to capitalise on the conflict; we`re happy to strictly
 deal in "simulating" the actions.

 The  selection of Central Europe as the other theatre was not an attempt at
 any political statement, or a prediction of impending doom and gloom.  It's
 just  that the US has a large standing force in the region, in spite of the
 forces tranferred to the Persian Gulf.  Since Gunship 2000 is a simulation,
 we're  simulating  what  could happen IF, a war did break out.  The terrain
 found  in the region also gave us the chance to show off Gunship 2000's new
 3-D system.

                                  THE TEAM

 Many people contributed to the making of Gunship 2000; I apologise to those
 not specificaLly mentiOned.  It was a team effort, and we had a great team!

 Early  ON,  we  realiSed  that we certainly couldn't utilise the 3-D system
 from  the  original  Gunship  and  the  3-D  system  used  in our other 3-D
 products,  such  as F-19 and F-15II, didn't provide a low level view of the
 terrain.  We just had to design a new system.

 This  is  where  Darrell  Dennies worked his magic.  Darrell started on the
 system,  now  dubbed  Topographical  3-D,  back  in  February  of 1990.  He
 developed an entirely new concept to emphasise and accent the terrain where
 helicopters operate.  The results of his efforts speak for themselves.  The
 worlds are rich in colour and depth of detail.  The terrain features aren't
 just  painted on the ground,they actually "fit" into one another as they do
 in  real  life.   You  can actually look through the railroad tunnel to the
 other  side!   The  terrain also includes fills and "fancy" patterns on the
 ground  and even the trees.  In the campaign game, the structures destroyed
 in  previous  missions  are  still  destroyed when you find them again; the
 train  even  moves  along  the  railroad  tracks.   This system is the most
 complex  3-D  model  yet developed by MicroProse; it's probably superior to
 anything you've seen.

 Darrell  also  programmed  all  of the "fight" related functions.  He never
 ceased  to  amaze  us  all.   One  moment  there  could be a problem with a
 function  or  feature,  and  before  you  could  bat an eye, Darrell had it
 corrected or added to the game.  There wasn't anything Darrell couldn't fix
 or, somehow, squeeze into the programme.

 PAGE 165

 The  mission  generation  system  was  developed,  and  for  the  most part
 designed,  by Detmar Peterke.  He had the patience and insight to interpret
 my  obscure concepts into something that would work.  It wasn't easy coming
 up  with a system that would generate challenging missions that could still
 be  fun.   He  developed the "action area" system that's used for selecting
 options.  Detmar, with the help of Dave McKibbin, also "tweaked" all of the
 nifty animations into the game.

 Detmar applied an "artist's eye" to his programming this touch is reflected
 in  the "look" of the game's starting and ending sequences.  It's not often
 that you find this rare combination of talents.

 Speaking  of  art,  we  couldn't have been more fortunate than to have Mike
 Reis  as  a member of the team.  He spent many long, tiring hours designing
 and  drawing  all  of  the  terrific  art.  The screens aren't just scanned
 images or touch ups of other people's art, they're original and hand drawn.
 His  art  has  the  look  of  real "live imagery"; you get the feeling that
 you're standing in the room or sitting in the tent.  That's a lot of pixels
 and colours to worry about!

 I know Mike often wanted to say "not you again" whenever we walked into his
 office  with  another  change  or  idea,  but he  put up with us constantly
 critiquing  or  suggesting  changes to the art.  It's a good thing he's not
 thin-skinned;  he  probably  would  have  "skinned"  us many times over-and
 deservedly so.

 I  would  be  remiss  in  not  thanking  Max Remington for his terrific 3-D
 objects.   He  out did himself again!  Max is known as the "machine" around
 these  parts.   Whatever you ask for, he produces, no matter how complex or
 obscure.   The  helicopters  in  Gunship  2000 are the most complex objects
 we've  ever  included in a simulation; and, it's not like he had the luxury
 of  working in an environment of unlimited capacity-he still had to make it
 fit.

 Jeff Briggs wrote all of the music that you hear during the game.  He did a
 great job in capturing and setting the "mood" of the game.  He had to write
 them  all  as  original compositions,and had to try to make them fit within
 the  presentation of the game.  This wasn't an easy task.  In many cases he
 had only concepts to work from.

 Ken  Lagace along with Jim McConkey and Scott Patterson produced all of the
 game's  sound  effects.   If  you're lucky enough to have a Roland or Adlib
 sound card, you can experience the exciting sounds of helicopter flight and
 combat.

 Iris Idokogi and her staff of thousands (just kidding, the printed material
 looks  so  good, you would think it really took that many people to develop
 it)  are to thank for the printed material.  They're the group that usually
 gets  the  least amount of time.  We designers always try to wait until the
 last minute to finish writing the manual.  Fortunately, Iris is persistent,
 and she doesn't let us get away with too much.

 I  tip my hat to the quality assurance folks; they have the toughest row to
 hoe.   They  are tasked with finding all of the things that don't work.  No
 one  is ever happy to see or hear from them, but their job is a key part of
 the process.  Chris Taormino and the gang did a great job in keeping all of
 us honest.

 After  all that, it leaves the design element of the game-that's me.  I did
 what  all  designers do at MicroProse-research & develop the scope and flow
 of  the  game,  and  basically  annoy  everyone  else.   I  also  wrote the
 documentation,  with  the  help of Sean Gallagher, and developed all of the
 charts, tables and miscellaneous text.

 One  part  of the game I really enjoyed doing, at least I thought so when I
 started  it,  was  designing  the  terrain  and layouts for the 6 worlds in
 Gunship  2000.   Darrell  developed a number or tools specifically for this
 portion  of the game that made my life easier.  About 150 unique tiles were
 created  for the worlds.  Each world has over 4,000 "tiles" that are linked
 together  to make the terrain look uniform.  I started to dream about these
 tiles;  I  was smart enough not to tell my wife that she had been displaced
 in my dreams.

 The  whole  idea  behind  the game was to capture the essence of helicopter
 combat,  and to present it in an enjoyable, entertaining format.  I believe
 we were successful.  Only you can truly judge the results.

 Jim Day


                                  END

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