McDonnell-Douglas MD500 Defender

The McDonnell-Douglas Helicopter Systems MD500 Defender is a light multi-role military helicopter based on the MD500 light utility helicopter and OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter.
==Variants==
*MD500D Scout Defender: Armed reconnaissance version
*MD500M Defender: Military export variant of the MD500 and MD500C, built under license by Kawasaki in Japan (as the OH-6J) and Breda Nardi in Italy.
*MD500M/ASW Defender: Export variant for the Spanish Navy.
*NH-500E Defender: Export variant for Italy built under license by Breda Nardi.
*NH-500M Defender: Italian-built version of the MD500M Defender. Licensed by Breda Nardi before its merger with Agusta.
*500MD Defender: Military version of the 500D. Korean Air's aerospace division from 1976 to 1984 with 200 choppers made. Fifty were armed with TOW anti-tank missiles and 150 choppers used for transportation and support duties.
*500MD/ASW Defender: Maritime version of the 500MD Defender. Equipped with a Bendix RDR-1300 search radar in a nose cone offset to the port side, and a towed ASQ-81C(V)2 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) at the starboard fuselage. Up to two Mk44 or Mk46 are carried underneath the fuselage, which can be replaced by smoke markers.
*500MD/TOW Defender: Anti-tank version of the 500MD Defender, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
*500MD/MMS-TOW Defender: Anti-tank version, fitted with a mast-mounted sight, armed with TOW anti-tank missiles.
*500MD Quiet Advanced Scout Defender: Fitted with noise suppression equipment.
*500MD Defender II: Improved variant of the Defender.
*500MG Defender: Military version of the 500E.
*520MG Defender: Philippine military version. Special Forces version. Modified 500MG Defender that carries .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns and 7-tube rocket pods and operates as a light attack aircraft.
*520MK Black Tiger: South Korean-built military version, built by Korean Air Aerospace Division.
*MD530F Cayuse Warrior: It is a military light scout attack helicopter developed from OH-6 Cayuse. It incorporates simple fixed-forward sighting system, FN Herstal weapons management system, Rohde & Schwarz M3AR tactical mission radio and Dillon Aero mission configurable armament system (MCAS) weapons plank. The Afghan Air Force is the largest operator of the Cayuse Warrior.
*MD530M: Military variant of the MD500.
*MD530MG Defender: Military variant.
*MG530G BII: Improved military variant.
*MD530 Nightfox: Night attack variant.
*MD530MG Paramilitary Defender: Variant for police and border patrol.
*MD540F: Upgraded MD530F, incorporating a 6-bladed, fully articulated rotor blade system made of composite material, a more rugged landing skid for heavier take-off and landing weights, a fully integrated digital glass cockpit with multi-function color displays and a pilot Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS), which couples together a targeting FLIR and laser designator.
*MD530G: Designed based on the MD530F airframe and is engineered with advanced technology to deliver enhanced combat capabilities.
==Users==
*Afghanistan
**Afghan Air Force
*Argentina
**Argentine Air Force
**Argentine Coast Guard
*Chile
**Chilean Army
*Republic of China
**Republic of China Navy
*Colombia
**Colombian Air Force
*Croatia
**Croatian Air Force
*El Salvador
**Salvadoran Air Force
**Salvadoran Army
*Finland
**Finnish Army
*Israel
**Israeli Air Force
*Italy
**Italian Air Force
**Italian Army
*Japan
**Japan Ground Self-Defense Force - see Kawasaki OH-1
*Jordan
**Royal Jordanian Air Force
*Kenya
**Kenyan Army
*Republic of Korea
**Republic of Korea Air Force
**Republic of Korea Army
*Lebanon
**Lebanese Army
**Lebanese Air Force
*Malaysia
**Royal Malaysian Army
*Malta
**Maltese Air Wing
*Mexico
**Mexican Air Force
**Mexican Navy
*Nigeria
**Nigerian Army Aviation
*Panama
**Panamanian Aeronaval Service
*Philippines
**Philippine Air Force
*Spain
**Spanish Navy
*United States
**United States Army
==See Also==
===Related Development===
*Boeing AH-6
*Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
*Kawasaki OH-1
*MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird
===Comparable Aircraft===
*Aérospatiale Gazelle
*MBB Bo105
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