Armies, Arms and basic Army info Home
An army, in its broadest sense, signifies a body of armed and trained men organised for warfare. The term is applied to
national, regular or standing and field armies. A national army is the total available force of men trained or partially trained
in the use of arms which a nation can call upon to fight in time of war. The military requirements of a people depend mainly
on its geographical situation and national wealth; they may vary from time to time according to the international situation.
Expenditure on an army may therefore be regarded as a national insurance, and the premium to be paid will naturally vary
with the amount to be insured and with its relative security. Thus the territories of continental powers are open to sudden
invasion by land, and can be effectively safeguarded only by a nation in arms.
Images. 1) Tremendous power of Eisenhower (See images). 2) MAKS 2009 Air Show opened in the town of Zhukovsky,
the Moscow region, on August 18 (See images)
How to Join the British Army
A career with the British Army is both rewarding and satisfying and one of the most sort after careers. Just like the
navy, and in fact many other services such as the police service or the service these are always in demand and as
a result offer a very desirable career.
The origination of the British Army can be traced back to around 1707 with the unification of England to Scotland and
the resulting United Kingdom. Since its formation the British Army has continued to grow and develop and its role has
changed according to its time in history. For example, today the army plays a much more significant peace keeping
role and evidence of this can be seen with the recent developments in Afghanistan.
The current strength of the British army is around 100,000 personnel in total all providing various different support roles
from soldiers to dentists and technicians. There are also over 25,000 personnel who form part of the Territorial Army.
The army is also not restricted by qualifications and looks to include people from all walks of life no matter what
qualifications they have acquired. For example, there are positions available for engineering graduate who has just left
university as well as a 16 year old who has just left school with their GCSE's.
Many young men and women apply to join each year and a number of them fail to pass the application process due to a
lack of preparation. The British Army selection process is designed to test your suitability to life within the Army. It can
be a difficult process if you don't prepare and can be a nerve wracking one too.
If you fully prepare for the role that you want to achieve then the rewards of a are second to none. You will receive a good
salary, often be given the chance to travel overseas, given the opportunity to work as part of one of the most professional
and respected organisations in the world and also to give something back to your country.
At the Army Selection Centre you will undergo further selection, both physically and mentally. The purpose of the centre
is to confirm your suitability for your chosen career in the Army. Remember that you are not committed to join the Army
at this stage.
By Tobay Dytham Swifft
More about joining the army please click here: join the army.
Helicopter Pilot Careers in the US Army
The Army operates the largest number of helicopters of any US military service. If you choose to fly helicopters in the
Army you will start at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, which is the home of Army Aviation. Once you’ve completed your training
the real fun begins. Army aviators fly some of the most advanced helicopters in the world.
The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is the most advanced attack helicopter in the U.S. inventory. It’s able to operate day
or night in good or adverse weather. The Apache is armored and can withstand hits from shells as large as 23mm. The
pilot’s sit in a titanium tub offering them protection not seen in any other helicopter. The Apache is able to carry an assort-
ment of rockets and missiles in addition to its 30 mm chain gun. The Apache has a crew of two pilots. It has a maximum
speed of 180 mph and a combat radius of 270 n.m.
(Additional information. The AH-64 Apache is the United States Army's principal attack helicopter, and is the successor
to the AH-1 Cobra. The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines. The crew sits in tandem, with
the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot-gunner in an armored crew compartment. The AH-64 is armed with a 30 mm
M230 chain gun and carries a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rockets on four hard points mounted on its
stub-wing pylons.)
An OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter from the 1st Infantry Division takes off on a mission from Forward Operation
Base MacKenzie, Iraq. It is armed with an AGM-114 Hellfire and 7 Hydra 70 rockets.
The OH-58 Kiowa Warrior is a scout, observation, and light attack helicopter. The job of the OH-58 Kiowa is to locate the
enemy and call in fire from other units such as artillery, naval gunfire, tactical aircraft or AH-64 gunships. The Kiowa also
has the ability to engage targets. It can carry rockets, missiles, and gun pods. The Kiowa has a crew of two pilots and
can carry two additional people in the rear seats. It has a maximum speed of 140 mph and a combat range of 170 miles.
The AH-1F Cobra is a generation older than the Ah-64. The Ah-1F is a tandem seat attack helicopter. It’s used in much
the same way as the AH-64 Apache. It can carry rockets and missiles in addition to its 3-barreled 20mm gatling gun.
It has a crew of two pilots and a combat radius of 150 mi.
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a medium lift assault/utility helicopter. The black hawk is able to carry 11 fully armed combat
troops. It also has the ability to lift the 105mm M102 Howitzer along with its 4-person crew and reposition it. The crew
consists of two pilots, a crew chief, and a gunner. The Blackhawk has a maximum speed of 200 mph and a combat radius
of 370 mi.
The CH-47 Chinook is the Army’s heavy lift helicopter. It has two engines and is a tandem rotor design (one rotor behind
the other). The Ch-47 roles are troop movement, re-supply, and artillery placement. To help in loading and unloading
supplies the Chinook has a large loading ramp in the rear of the fuselage. It also has three external hooks from which it
can sling loads. The CH-47 has a crew of three, two pilot and a crew chief. It can carry 33 troops or 24 litters and three
medical personnel or 28000 pounds of cargo. The Chinook has a maximum speed of almost 200 mph and a combat
radius of 650 miles.
The OH-6 Cayuse is a small helicopter that is used for personnel transport, escort, and light attack missions. The OH-6
has a crew of two. Its max speed is 175 mph and its combat radius is 115 nm.
The MH-6 and AH-6 LOACH were originally variants of the OH-6 but know they are a separate platform based on the
McDonnell Douglas model 530. The MH-6 and AH-6 are special operation helicopters. They’re used to insert and extract
special operations troops, to support special operation troops and other missions relating to the conduct of special
operations warfare.
Army aviators have a long and proud tradition of flying helicopters. They are very skilled and serve the nation with honor
and distinction.
By Kevin Crockett
Learn more about becoming a helicopter pilot at Helicopter Pilot Careers