NEW DIMENSIONS IN MILITARY MOBILITY

[Music] this is the face of warfare today it still revolves around men with their feet planted firmly on earth they must defend or free military historians will probably remember the decade of the 50s for the build-up of massive nuclear strategic potential the decade of the 60s will undoubtedly see an emphasis on each nation's ability to function in a limited warfare sense with REM Phasis on conventional weapons concepts and tactics the secret of success of military strategists from the time of Hannibal has been in striking a balance between effective weapon employment and mobility the keys are modern battlefield mobility that helicopter and the finest one available today is the bell 204b [Music] since the end of World War two there have been hundreds of separate armed conflicts through which run a threat of subversion infiltration and guerrilla activity the lessons of these limited wars have been explicit the sophisticated hardware items designed for conventional warfare are often unsatisfactory for tactical employment and limited warfare situations the geography of limited Wars is interesting perhaps the only places in the world where they have not nor will not occur are within the boundaries of the world power nations which are scientifically and financially equipped to deter aggression most of the uprisings have happened in the underdeveloped areas of the world the environmental and climatic extremes which actually preclude major armed conflicts the common factors which can be applied to the brush war thread in the underdeveloped areas the world our mobility firepower reconnaissance logistics support this film will document the 20 for escape ability to perform diverse tact commissioned consistent with these four requirements the key to the value of the 204b is of course its mobility its capability to perform throughout the complete range of global conditions from the floor of the desert to the top of mountains under every climatic condition to be found on earth engine starts are possible at temperatures ranging from 65 degrees below zero to more than 120 degrees above whatever the terrain or climate bells 204b has flown and flown well literally proven from the Alps to within less than 200 miles from the South Pole one of the highly significant logistics factors of the 204 is it's Eric transportability a feature which fits into the concept of global military involvement it can be quickly airlifted to virtually any country on Earth mobility alone however does not provide a complete answer to the success of battle the 20 fours excellent maneuverability makes possible to placement as men and weapons where they can be most effective its ability to fly the very nap of the earth taking advantage of natural cover provides military tactician with a long dreamed of gold complete vertical envelopment flying at speeds from 0 to 120 miles per hour with virtually unlimited evasive action potential it can place men and weapons where they can fight most effectively the ultimate value of military mobility is to increase firepower and in this area the 20 4b shows extreme versatility exterior machine guns or 20 millimeter Gatling guns provide an aircraft which can fly a treetop level at variable speed and highly controlled strafing fire similar armament can also be controlled from within the cabin of the helicopter providing an enormous volume of highly directed firepower rocket installation the various types can be mounted as external stores and used under a variety of tactical situation [Applause] [Music] [Music] the same characteristics of maneuverability and variable speed which make the 204 be such a versatile gun platform are its greatest reconnaissance asset reconnaissance is nothing new to bail the capability of our helicopters has been instrumental in developing the techniques which are used successfully today by army units in the field after reconnaissance comes troop deployment and support another aspect of the 20 4 B's versatility logistics support is many things to mend who must fight on the ground it is getting things both in and out of the combat area of course aircraft can never be the total answer to military mobility wheels and tracks are very important but often the wheels have to be put where they can function best by using the 204b as a flying crane capable of carrying a load up to two tons and equipped with a quick-release hook the 204b becomes the logistics workhorse of any battlefield the conical hole in the bottom of the fuselage keeps the load centered at the approximate three axis center of gravity of the helicopter so the loads can swing without affecting aircraft handling not only is the 204b air transportable but it can carry other aircraft as well it can list light observation aircraft from small clearings where takeoff might be impossible or retrieve aircraft crippled by mechanical malfunction [Music] evacuation of wounded has been a classic role for Bell helicopter's and the design of the 204b reflects the lessons learned from this operational heritage convertibility from a litter carrier to a personnel carriers accomplished in a matter of minutes broad double sliding doors make entry and exit from the 20 for a simple and speedy process even for military personnel with full battle gear Logistics is a two-edged sword not only should support systems be productive they also should be as reliable as possible and the tool for be is a record breaker in this significant area too it is as at home in the field is the m1 rifle it can operate wherever troops are deployed this helicopter will have a 1000 our time between overhaul the equivalent of 125,000 miles of travel so the 204b solves logistics problems without creating any of its own changing the turbine engine can be performed in a matter of minutes quick disconnects snap off without the use of special tools with ethical shutoff valves which restrain fluid flow as the lines are disconnected this makes it unnecessary to drain the fluids from the engine all electrical connections are through cannon plugs the maintenance hoist and working platform is another imaginative feature the 20 for this hoist allows removal of the main rotor the transmission and mast or the engine without the use of a special hoist truck the fact that this device is transportable by the helicopter affords complete field maintenance potential the t-50 309 lycoming engine used in the tool for features low specific fuel consumption with minimum size and weight it's free turban drive principle eliminates the need for a clutch the engine although designed to operate on JP for fuel can be operated on either automotive or aviation gasoline or even kerosene an important consideration when operating in remote areas of the world no other helicopter has been so rigidly tested by the military prior to production purchasing over a period of five years more than 12,000 hours of test flights reported in 31 separate testing programs conducted by Air Force Army Navy and Marines have validated the integrity of this aircraft is a multi-mission helicopter these extensive military tests established that all performance guarantees were met or exceeded unprecedented military usage has accumulated more than 150,000 hours of flying time mission capability with operational economy has been a prime design criteria as well so the economic considerations on behalf of the 204 are as compelling as its technical superiority current operating data provides a 10-play seating capacity an empty weight of 4,600 pounds a design gross weight of 8,500 sound a lycoming T 5309 turbine engine which generates the 1,100 horsepower with a maximum speed of 120 knots the rate of climb is 2700 80 feet a minute a hovering ceiling 8,200 feet at full gross weight a range of 230 miles and a maximum fuel capacity of 165 gallon and unprecedented degree of battlefield mobility versatile gun platform accurate intelligence by direct observation and logistics ability to meet any change in tactical deployment these are the keys which the 204b places in the hands of the military commander keys which could make the difference between success or failure in the demanding specialized area of a limited war [Music] and so the 204b stands today a capable versatile ship proven and worldwide service in volume production a continuation of the heritage which has made bail the standard of excellence against which all helicopters must be measured [Music]