Following the raid on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, the American MH-60M DAP (Direct Action Penetrator) attack helicopter hasgarnered significant attention. According to the military news site TWZ, immediately after the operationtoarrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas concluded, numerousvideos capturing the combat actions of US helicopters were released. Initially, many believed the helicopters appearing in Caracas were the US Marine Corps’ AH-1Z Viper, but the actual “main character” was the MH-60MDAP model. The MH-60M DAP is a special attack variant of the Black Hawk helicopter, deployed by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and consideredone of the most notable assets of the US Special Operations Command(SOCOM).
(The US MH-60M DAP attack helicopter. Photo: TWZ)
Compared to standard MH-60 versions, which are balanced for both transport
and attack capabilities, the MH-60M DAP focuses entirely on destroyingdesignated targets. This helicopter possesses a massive arsenal, including70mm rockets, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Stinger ATAS air-to-air missiles, GAU-19/B 12.7mm heavy machine guns, and M230 30mm automatic cannons. Notably, the 70mm rockets include the APKWS II laser-guided variant, allowing for strikes with very high precision. To maximize the power of its weapons systems, the MH-60MDAP is equippedwith the most advanced electronic technologies, helping the helicopter operateeffectively even at night.
(The US MH-60M DAP attack helicopter. Photo: TWZ)
Located right in the center of the helicopter’s nose is the AN/APQ-187 Silent
Knight Radar (SKR) for terrain-following and terrain-avoidance. The SKRallows the MH-60M DAP to fly at extremely low altitudes safely, helpingthehelicopter stay away from enemy air defense systems and minimize detection. This is the tactic the US military utilized in Venezuela, which provedtobeextremely effective. According to reports, only one helicopter was damagedduring the arrest of Mr. Maduro, but the vehicle was recovered. In addition to the main radar, the MH-60M DAP features infrared/optical
missile warning sensors, active jammers, electronic warfare systems, andflare/chaff dispensers. One of the latest additions to this helicopter is theCommon Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system, which uses lasers toblind and jam the seekers of conventional guided missiles.
Thanks to these leading protection technologies and a high-explosive arsenal, the MH-60M DAP is considered one of the most powerful helicopters intheUS military.
Vietnamnet