Armed helicopter

An armed helicopter has two roles, which can be configured for each operation or mission. It has the capability to carry troops to be landed or that will be picked up, and it has various amounts of removable armament to protect combat operations with troops. It contrasts with an attack helicopter, which is not designed to carry any troops. A lesser contrast can be with the same basic helicopter used in an armed role, when it is appropriate, either because cargo capacity is more important than firepower, or the mission is one in which visible weapons are provocative or illegal.

Armament

The most common weapons on armed helicopters are machine guns on swivel mounts in the main door or doors. They may also carry small rocket pods carrying 7 or so unguided rockets, and, more recently, may carry light surface-to-air missiles adapted to an air-to-air missile role for self-protection.

Different nations have different design approaches for military helicopters. Russia/the Soviet Union did not emphasize attack helicopters, but their troop-carrying armed helicopters, such as the Mi-8 HIP or Mi-24 HIND are far more heavily armed than the armed helicopters of other countries.