McDonnell-Douglas MD500 Defender

The McDonnell-Douglas Helicopter Systems MD500 Defender is a light multi-role military helicopter based on the MD500 light utility helicopter and OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter.

Variants

• MD500D Scout Defender: Armed reconnaissance version
• MD500M Defender: Military export variant of the MD500 and MD500C, built under license by Kawasaki in Japan (as the OH-6J) and Breda Nardi in Italy.
• MD500M/ASW Defender: Export variant for the Spanish Navy.
• NH-500E Defender: Export variant for Italy built under license by Breda Nardi.
• NH-500M Defender: Italian-built version of the MD500M Defender. Licensed by Breda Nardi before its merger with Agusta.
• 500MD Defender: Military version of the 500D. Korean Air's aerospace division from 1976 to 1984 with 200 choppers made. Fifty were armed with TOW anti-tank missiles and 150 choppers used for transportation and support duties.
• 500MD/ASW Defender: Maritime version of the 500MD Defender. Equipped with a Bendix RDR-1300 search radar in a nose cone offset to the port side, and a towed ASQ-81C(V)2 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) at the starboard fuselage. Up to two Mk44 or Mk46 are carried underneath the fuselage, which can be replaced by smoke markers.
• 500MD/TOW Defender: Anti-tank version of the 500MD Defender, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
• 500MD/MMS-TOW Defender: Anti-tank version, fitted with a mast-mounted sight, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
• 500MD Quiet Advanced Scout Defender: Fitted with noise suppression equipment.
• 500MD Defender II: Improved variant of the Defender.
• 500MG Defender: Military version of the 500E.
• 520MG Defender: Philippine military version. Special Forces version. Modified 500MG Defender that carries .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns and 7-tube rocket pods and operates as a light attack aircraft.
• 520MK Black Tiger: South Korean-built military version, built by Korean Air Aerospace Division.
• MD530F Cayuse Warrior: It is a military light scout attack helicopter developed from OH-6 Cayuse. It incorporates simple fixed-forward sighting system, FN Herstal weapons management system, Rohde & Schwarz M3AR tactical mission radio and Dillon Aero mission configurable armament system (MCAS) weapons plank. The Afghan Air Force is the largest operator of the Cayuse Warrior.
• MD530M: Military variant of the MD500.
• MD530MG Defender: Military variant.
• MG530G BII: Improved military variant.
• MD530 Nightfox: Night attack variant.
• MD530MG Paramilitary Defender: Variant for police and border patrol.
• MD540F: Upgraded MD530F, incorporating a 6-bladed, fully articulated rotor blade system made of composite material, a more rugged landing skid for heavier take-off and landing weights, a fully integrated digital glass cockpit with multi-function color displays and a pilot Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS), which couples together a targeting FLIR and laser designator.
• MD530G: Designed based on the MD530F airframe and is engineered with advanced technology to deliver enhanced combat capabilities.

Users

• Afghanistan
  • Afghan Air Force
• Argentina
  • Argentine Air Force
  • Argentine Coast Guard
• Chile
  • Chilean Army
• Republic of China
  • Republic of China Navy
• Colombia
  • Colombian Air Force
• Croatia
  • Croatian Air Force
• El Salvador
  • Salvadoran Air Force
  • Salvadoran Army
• Finland
  • Finnish Army
• Israel
  • Israeli Air Force
• Italy
  • Italian Air Force
  • Italian Army
• Japan
  • Japan Ground Self-Defense Force - see Kawasaki OH-1
• Jordan
  • Royal Jordanian Air Force
• Kenya
  • Kenyan Army
• Republic of Korea
  • Republic of Korea Air Force
  • Republic of Korea Army
• Lebanon
  • Lebanese Army
  • Lebanese Air Force
• Malaysia
  • Royal Malaysian Army
• Malta
  • Maltese Air Wing
• Mexico
  • Mexican Air Force
  • Mexican Navy
• Nigeria
  • Nigerian Army Aviation
• Panama
  • Panamanian Aeronaval Service
• Philippines
  • Philippine Air Force
• Spain
  • Spanish Navy
• United States
  • United States Army

See Also

Related Development

• Boeing AH-6
• Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
• Kawasaki OH-1
• MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird

Comparable Aircraft

• Aérospatiale Gazelle
• MBB Bo105