How the Soviets Fight: Capabilities of Soviet Helicopters

I suspect that it is highly unlikely that ‘american partisans’ will be having to avoid Helicopter Gunships – it would presuppose that either U.S. Mil Forces will use Heavy Weapons against the Citizens, or Foreign Forces will be involved. The danger to Partisans from Helicopters are essentially twofold – Helicopters are the ideal ‘Tracking Platform’ to locate individuals or small groups, and direct Vehicle-Borne ground forces to Contact. Helicopters will be used extensively to Overwatch highway Checkpoints, making it difficult to Sniper or otherwise attack them.
Helicopters will also be used for personnel transport for Raids and movement of personnel between ‘green zones’ of .gov control.

While the Armored Helicopter Gunship (of any manufacture) is generally immune to small arms ground fire, the vast majority of Helicopters in service (both Civil and military) are Not. Side Windows are generally 1/4-inch Plexiglass, and Fuselage Skin is seldom heavier than 1/8-inch Aluminum. Fuel Tanks, Engines and Sensor Systems are not Armored. At any Range that a 5.56 or 7.62 Round will ‘get there’, it can do damage or injure personnel, so don’t hesitate to Fire if they are in Range.

As for other methods, the common “laser pointer” is an effective way to Harass Aircraft, the More being used the better. While they are not “Dangerous” they are a Distraction to Piloting and use of Camera and sensor systems. Use of higher-powered Lasers, 5- or 10-Watt Industrial types, create a real Hazard of Blinding personnel and Destroying (expensive) Sensors. Many vids on how to ‘set up’ these Devices are on the Internet, as well as Sources for the components. Power Supplies for these systems are small and light enough to be Backpack Carried. At Night, a Spotlight with an Arc-type Bulb (HID type) will cause sudden loss of Night Vision (that may take some Time to recover) with even a brief “Shine” of the Helo. Use of these devices in an Ambush on a LZ can be very effective, if a startled Pilot swerves into any obstacle.

Radio Frequency Jamming is effective in ‘disconnecting’ a Helo from Ground Forces, and the low-powered Radios in them do not need much ‘noise’ to render them useless. Helicopters are normally equipped with VHF (109-130 MHZ) Aviation Radio sets, and UHF (there are several Bands) for Air-to-Donutmobile comms. A Scanner will let the EW crew find where to Attack.

Drone Warfare against Helicopters can be effectively conducted by having the Drone lift and trail a long piece of 1/8-inch Steel Cable; larger Drones can probably pull 100 Feet or more of this, and the effect of Tangling the Main or Tail Rotors of a Helo with this will cause serious Damage to the Control Linkages, likely causing Loss of Control of the Aircraft.

Finally, the Helicopter Gunship (and all the rest) needs a Base, Fuel, and Personnel, all of which can be interdicted just like any other OPFOR assets. The first place to Recon is your ‘local’ or General Aviation Airport; chances are the OPFOR already has both Helicopter and Fixed-Wing assets in place. GA. Airports have little in the way of Perimeter Security, and Fuel Storage Tanks and Trucks are not hard to access. Most .gov Aviation Assets are Maintained and Repaired by contractors and commercial shops at these Airports; they are also ‘Enemy Targets’.