Agusta A129 Mangusta Multi Role Combat Helicopter
Conceived in response to an
Italian Army requirement of the mid-1970s, the
A-129 Mangusta was the first dedicated attack helicopter to be designed, built and deployed by a
European country. It was also the first in the world to be built around an advanced
MIL-STD 1553B digital databus, which allows a high degree of automation, considerably reducing the crew workload.
The
Mangusta's primary
TOW missile armament left it inflexible where combat against tanks was not a priority mission. Hence, Agusta has developed the Mangusta
International, which features an undernose
20 mm cannon, uprated 1 362-shp AlliedSignal
LHTEC CTS800-2 engines and a five-bladed main rotor system. This aircraft also retains the HeliTOW target acquisition system, making it a highly versatile combat helicopter. The AW
...