The ROC Army had previously operated at least six OH-6A in the observation role.
In August 1991, the Army initiated "Lu Peng" program to modernize its aviation assets.
The contract for 12 OH-58D (with 14 options) and 18 AH-1W were signed in February 1992.
Later the 14 options were all exercised and the 26 OH-58D were to equip the 1st and 2nd Aviation Groups.
Deliveries started in October 1993.
Further 13 OH-58D were requested in 1997 and the contract was awarded on June 24, 1998.
These OH-58D were assembled by Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Taiwan
and then shipped back to Bell for flight tests.
AIDC rolled out the first assembled OH-58D on November 9, 1999 in a ceremony.
As of 2001, all 13 helicopters had been delivered to the ROCA.
The Ministry of National Defense initiated an extensive re-organization program in 1997,
resulting in the establishment of Air Cavalry Brigades in the Army.
The OH-58D are now assigned to the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Battalion in each Brigade.
Fleet Images
604
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605 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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606
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607
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608
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609
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610 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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611 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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612
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614 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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615
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616
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617
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618
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619 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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620
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621
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623
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624
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626
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627 (Photo by Jason Tu)
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628 (Photo by Jason Tu)
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630
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631
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633
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634
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635
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637 (Photo by Kircheis Liu)
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638
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639
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Fleet Information
| Tail No. |
Serial No. |
Constr. No. |
Remark |
| 601 |
31010 |
44102 |
|
| 602 |
31011 |
44103 |
|
| 603 |
31012 |
44104 |
|
| 604 |
31013 |
44105 |
|
| 605 |
31014 |
44106 |
|
| 606 |
31015 |
44107 |
|
| 607 |
31016 |
44108 |
|
| 608 |
31017 |
44109 |
|
| 609 |
31018 |
44110 |
|
| 610 |
31019 |
44111 |
|
| 611 |
31020 |
44112 |
|
| 612 |
31021 |
44113 |
|
| 613 |
31022 |
44114 |
w/o 08/23/2001 |
| 614 |
31023 |
44115 |
|
| 615 |
31024 |
44116 |
|
| 616 |
31025 |
44117 |
|
| 617 |
31026 |
44118 |
|
| 618 |
31027 |
44119 |
|
| 619 |
31028 |
44120 |
|
| 620 |
31029 |
44121 |
|
|
| Tail No. |
Serial No. |
Constr. No. |
Remark |
| 621 |
31030 |
44122 |
|
| 622 |
31031 |
44123 |
|
| 623 |
31032 |
44124 |
|
| 624 |
31033 |
44125 |
|
| 625 |
31034 |
44126 |
|
| 626 |
31035 |
44127 |
|
| 627 |
80058 |
44128 |
|
| 628 |
80059 |
44129 |
|
| 629 |
80060 |
44130 |
|
| 630 |
80061 |
44131 |
|
| 631 |
80062 |
44132 |
|
| 632 |
80063 |
44133 |
|
| 633 |
80064 |
44134 |
|
| 634 |
80065 |
44135 |
|
| 635 |
80066 |
44136 |
|
| 636 |
80067 |
44137 |
|
| 637 |
80068 |
44138 |
|
| 638 |
80069 |
44139 |
|
| 639 |
80070 |
44140 |
|
|
Details & Weapons
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Left:
Each side of the OH-58D is equipped with a Universal Weapon Pylon (UWP) for mounting weapons.
The pylons are interchangeable from left to right sides and can be folded up for transportation.
The helicopter shown is not carrying any weapon.
Right:
This OH-58D is carrying an XM296 .50 Cal. (12.7-mm) machine gun on the port side and
an M260 seven-tube 70-mm (2.75-in) rocket launcher on the starboard.
Taiwan's OH-58D are also capable of firing AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles (not shown).
Each helicopter can carry up to four missiles (two on each side).
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|
|
For area suppression and engaging lightly armored moving, stationary, or airborne targets, the OH-58D
can be fitted with an XM296 machine gun pod (on the port side only).
The maximum rate of firing is 750-800 rounds per minute.
The ammunition is fed from the ammunition storage box (upper-right corner of the picture) by way of a feed chute
to the gun.
The box is capable of storing 463 rounds of linked 12.7-mm ammunition.
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|
Left:
The OH-58D can carry up to two M260 seven-tube 2.75-in Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) launchers.
Right:
The rockets used by Taiwan's OH-58D are produced by Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST).
Note the rocket with unfolded tail fins.
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|
|
Left:
The most distinct external feature of the OH-58D is the Mast-Mounted Sight (MMS).
It has two windows for a TV sensor (small one) and a FLIR (large one).
There is also a laser rangefinder/designator boresighted with the sensors.
The MMS can rotate ¡Ó190¢X in azimuth and ¡Ó30¢X in elevation.
Right:
The upper wire cutter and two secondary FM antennas are located on top of the crew compartment.
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|
|
Left:
When the first batch of OH-58D was delivered to Tawian, they were not installed with the
AN/ALQ-144 infra-red countermeasures (IRCM) set, as those operated by the US Army.
The sets were retrofitted around 1999.
The mounting assembly for the ALQ-144 had already been installed on this helicopter,
but the "disco light" was still missing.
Right:
The ALQ-144 IRCM set provides protection against heat-seeking missiles.
It causes burns if the windows are touched.
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|
|
Left:
The OH-58D is fitted with AN/APR-39(V)1 and AN/APR-44(V)3 radar warning receivers (RWR).
Shown in the picture is one of the two APR-39 antennas located on the nose.
Another two are located on the lower aft fuselage.
The white ball next the RWR antenna is the Night Vision Goggle (NVG) formation light.
Right:
Taiwan's OH-58D have been retrofitted with AN/AVR-2 laser detection sets.
An AVR-2 laser detection set is fitted on each side of the fuselage, slightly aft the crew compartment door.
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|
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Left:
The engine exhaust is located at the upper part of the engine fairing.
Hot gases are ejected straight into to the downwash to reduce the infra-red signature.
Right:
An HF anntena is mounted under the tailboom and at the end of the tailboom is the support assembly.
The vertical fin is mounted on the right side of the assembly and the tail rotor on the left side.
Two antennas, one VHF/FM antenna and one VHF/AM antenna, are mounted in the vertical fin.
An NVG formation light is mounted on top of the tailcone structural support.
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|
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601st Air Cavalry Brigade
Armed Reconnaissance Battalion, 601st Air Cavalry Brigade
602nd Air Cavalry Brigade
Armed Reconnaissance Battalion, 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade
