Left, top.
The Ha 342 M GAZELLE attack helicopter is armed with four HOT
missiles. Left, bottom. The 330 PUMA HM (Helicoptere de Manoeuvre) is used by the Combat Helicopter Regiment for transporting MILAN squads. Above.
The HA GAZELLE and the HM PUMA together represent the backbone of the ALA T Combat Helicopter Regiment.
an existing helicopter for antitank purposes. They too therefore plan to acquire a specially designed helicopter in the not too distant future. Known as the LAH (Light Attack Helicopter), this helicopter will be based on the Itali an A-129 made by Agusta. For th is purpose a four-nation
agreement (UK - Italy - Spain ¡ Holland) has been set up as this project is included in the modernization programmes of other armed forces. The new helicopter project, called TONAL (the Aztec god of war) will be developed side by side with feasibility studies on the third generat ion "fire-andforget" antitank missile, whic h will give this aircraft the effect iveness and su rvival capability so much des ired by pilots today. USE OF HELICOPTERS BY THE ORANGE PARTY
Un li ke most western armies, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact forces do not have an "Arm y Aviation " in the sense of ground forces using
aircraft to achieve air mobility. Air support , like fire support and heliborne transport, is provided for ground troops by the Air Force aircraft belonging to the "Frontline Aviation", which is part of the Air Force but is subordinate to the Army. With regard to helicopters in particular, Independent Attack Helicopter Regiments operate within the Front lin e forces and the Arm ies and Divisions attached to them . Each Regiment is divided into 3-4 Battalions of Attack Hel icopters, with a total num ber of 45-50 M i-24 HINDs and 1 Battalion of Tactical Tran sport hel icopters equipped with 30 Mi-8 HIP helicopters. It is immediately apparent that in th is type of organization no provision is made in the 53