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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

OH-58D KIOWA WARRIOR

	Army ACAT IC Program 411 systems Total program cost (TY$) $3.5B Average unit cost (TY$) $7.9M Full-rate production 1QFY86 Prime Contractor Textron Inc. (Bell Helicopter)

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a two-place single engine armed reconnaissance helicopter. The Kiowa Warrior is an armed version of the earlier OH-58D Kiowa Advanced Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP) aircraft, which itself was a highly modified version of the OH-58A/C Kiowa. The principal difference between the Kiowa Warrior and its immediate OH-58D predecessor is a universal weapons pylon on both sides of the aircraft capable of accepting combinations of the semi-active laser Hellfire missile, the Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS) missile, 2.75" Folding Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) pods, and a 0.50 caliber machine gun. In addition to these weapons, the Kiowa Warrior upgrade includes changes designed to provide improvements in air-to-air and air-to-ground communications, mission planning and management, available power, survivability, night flying, and reductions in crew workload through the use of on-board automation and cockpit integration.

The primary mission of the Kiowa Warrior is armed reconnaissance in air cavalry troops and light attack companies. In addition, the Kiowa Warrior may be called upon to participate in the following missions or tasks:

• Joint Air Attack (JAAT) operations

• Air combat

• Limited attack operations

• Artillery target designation.

The Kiowa Warrior leverages information superiority and its precision engagement capabilities to enhance the Army's ability to dominate the maneuver battle.

The Kiowa Warrior is a Category I acquisition program. The Army plans to acquire approximately 400 Kiowa Warriors through either modification or retrofit of existing OH-58 Kiowas. The Kiowa Warrior replaces AH-1 attack helicopters currently found in air cavalry troops and light attack companies, and OH-58 Kiowas in air cavalry troops.

The basis for the latest Kiowa Warrior operational assessment (1994) was the Dual Station Unit Fielding and Training Program (DSUFTP) conducted by the Combat Aviation Training Brigade (CATB) at Fort Hood in 1993. The planning and execution of the Kiowa Warrior DSUFTP, which consisted of both live fire and non-live fire force-on-force exercises, was coordinated between the CATB, the U.S. Army Operational Test and Evaluation Command (OPTEC), and DOT&E to insure that the program provided the opportunities needed to support an adequate operational evaluation.

A TEMP has been approved by OSD and DOT&E has approved a Live Fire Test and Evaluation Strategy (10 Jul 96). Planning for this test continues. An LFT&E Independent Evaluation Plan/Test Design Plan has been submitted for approval.

The addition of weapons, improved cockpit integration, and better navigational capability have resulted in an aircraft that is much more capable than its predecessor. Furthermore, the potential enhancements to mission planning and management provided by the aviation mission planning system (AMPS) and data transfer system (DTS) were very apparent during the DSUFTP. All of these improvements were achieved without any noticeable impact on readiness, as indicated by the aircraft's operational availability.

However, several areas of concern were observed. Among the most critical were:

• the lack of an eye safe laser

• the impact of weight growth on the aircraft's power margin and endurance

• the low reliability of the Aviation Video Tape Recorder (AVTR) and Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE)

• the inability of air crew members to communicate effectively between themselves and with ground crews at the forward arming and refueling point

• the potential hazard associated with the current design of the two-position detent switch on the cyclic control that is used to uncage the ATAS missile seeker and then fire the missile

• the potential impact of several important Interim Statement of Aircraft Qualification (ISAQ) restrictions on the operational utility of the Kiowa Warrior.

Although the planning for the LFT&E is close to being complete, the test itself remains an unfunded requirement.