Fortunately, the “howitzer Huey” never materialized. It was likely an unworkable concept, given the helicopter’s limitations.
The 1960s were a wild time in U.S. history. The decade had everything: political and cultural upheaval, concerns about nuclear annihilation and “mutually-assured destruction” with the Soviet Union, and a series of highly unorthodox military innovations. All manner of concepts were bandied about during this time, all in the hope that some new technology would give one side in the ongoing Cold War a decisive strategic and tactical advantage over the other.
The Pentagon Wanted a Cannon-Copter
The Americans had developed a coterie of systems to enhance their capabilities. Notably, the United States military embraced the helicopter as a key platform for warfare. Arising during the Korean War out of the need to rapidly transport supplies and medevac wounded personnel in the dense, hard-to-reach terrain of the Korean Peninsula, the Pentagon eventually decided to build helicopters to transport troops into battle.
During the opening years of the Vietnam War, the U.S. military began developing and deploying helicopters to do more than transport people and equipment. They started using them as attack platforms and close-air support (CAS) for infantry units.
One of the zanier concepts the military toyed with was an idea that came from the United States Army Weapons Command (WECOM). The Army proposed to mount a 105 mm artillery gun on the chassis of a UH-1 Iroquois Huey helicopter.
The concept was, in a word, nuts.
The “Howitzer Huey” Was a Good Idea—In Theory
The engineers wanted to take the body of the iconic Huey helicopter and remove the nose. The Howitzer artillery cannon would be placed where the cockpit traditionally was located on the Huey. A small, glass dome pod where the pilot normally sat was to be installed beside the cannon for a gunner to control. Behind the gun and gunner’s pod—where troops and machine gunners would sit on a traditional Huey—would be the cockpit.
Back in the 1960s, the Army was increasingly involved in the Vietnam War. Vietnam’s unique geography and the fierce North Vietnamese communist guerrillas required the Army to have rapid, responsive firepower where traditional artillery could not be deployed quickly. Because helicopters could reach remote areas inaccessible to towed guns, and a Huey with a howitzer onboard could theoretically deliver precise, high-impact strikes while hovering or landing briefly to fire, the concept was not as far-fetched as it sounded.
Indeed, the cogitations the Army went through on the howitzer-mounted helicopter likely factored into its successful development of later flying artillery systems, such as the famed AC-130 gunship. Before they thought to install the howitzer on a large, propeller-driven plane, though, the Pentagon was thinking helicopters.
While the plan never moved from the early concept stages, it is assumed that the M102 Howitzer was the likeliest candidate for the Huey flying artillery concept. The M102 Howitzer weighed 3,300 pounds, meaning it could conceivably be placed on the Huey airframe. What’s more, the M102 was built for air-mobile operations, often tethered to the underside of the twin-rotor CH-47 Chinook or deployed via parachute from a plane. Adapting it for airborne firing wasn’t entirely far-fetched.
Too Many Problems With the Proposal
One of the biggest complicating factors for placing an M102 Howitzer cannon on the Huey would be the recoil. A 105mm howitzer cannon generates massive recoil, even with hydraulic dampening on the M102. In flight, this would have likely destabilized the Huey’s relatively lightweight airframe, risking structural damage or even the loss of control. A more practical attempt might have been to conduct the firing on the ground, but that would have severely impacted the Huey’s mobility advantage.
Further, the UH-1H Lycoming T53-L-13 engine, with 1,400 shaft horsepower, was adequate for transport, but would have likely struggled with the added weight and drag. This in turn would have reduced the aircraft’s range and maneuverability.
Let’s not forget that the North Vietnamese had great success in downing American helicopters throughout the Vietnam War. A lumbering, loitering, extremely heavy howitzer-equipped Huey helicopter would likely have been too tempting—and easy—of a target for skilled NVA soldiers or Viet Cong guerillas to pass up.
As for the helicopter itself, the Huey’s cabin would barely be able to accommodate the M102. Remember, a howitzer needs ammunition to fire, and 105mm ammunition takes up lots of space. With the gun itself taking up most of the space on a Huey, with a significantly reduced flight crew onboard taking up the remaining space, it was highly unlikely that the Hueys would have had much in the way of staying power in a fight, as there would be virtually no room for ammunition for the howitzer.
So the howitzer Huey never materialized. It was likely an unworkable concept, given the limitations of the Huey. But U.S. forces fighting in the Vietnam War required decisive, overwhelming, and immediate artillery and CAS support, and the concept eventually found a new home in the much larger airframe of the AC-130 Spectre Gunship. Ultimately, it was a good idea—simply on the wrong platform.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Soos Jozsef.
