User blog:Heatedpete/Helicopters in Battlefield 3

Hello all. Now, those of you who have been with us a while will know that I LOVE Helicopters in Bad Company 2. Anyone else who can survive an entire round on Atacama Desert Onslaught in Hardcore mode will know what I mean. And with Battlefield 3's release on the horizon, BF3blog.com has almost answered my one pressing question: What will the helicopters be like in Battlefield 3?

There are three types of helicopter in Battlefield 3 - the attack helo, the transport helo, and the scout helo. Each of these three classes of helicopters has a different unlock chart and tactics for use, and are pretty self explanatory for the latter. Please note terminology - helicopter = helo.

AH-1 Super Cobra
The Super Cobra is the USMC's attack helicopter, and is pretty much the same as in Battlefield 2 - it can seat two people, the pilot and the gunner, and has access initially to rocket pods (for the pilot) and the distinctive three-barreled gatling gun (for the gunner).
 * Unlocks:
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Heat seeking missiles
 * Main cannon autoloader
 * 3X zoom
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Guided missile
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * Laser painter
 * ECM jammer
 * Guided rockets
 * TV missile

UH-1Y Venom/Super Huey
A new helicopter to the Battlefield series, the UH-1Y is the USMC's transport helicopter. It is pretty much the same as the UH-60 Black Hawk - a pilot, two gunners (with mounted MGs) and two passengers. Importantly, the pilot can also unlock rockets, which could result in the Venom being used primarily as an attack helo rather than a transport... (Huey from BC2V anyone???)
 * Unlocks:
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Rockets
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * ECM jammer

AH-6J Little Bird
Our favourite Scout helo flying insect is back, and seems as potent as ever. Seating two players, the pilot and a gunner, the AH-6J has access initially to rockets for the pilot and a machine gun for the gunner, but can unlock guided rockets in addition.
 * Unlocks
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Rockets
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * ECM jammer
 * Guided rockets

Mi-28 Havoc
Back from the Bad Company series to wreak yet more Frostbite-based havoc (see what I did there...) the Mi-28 has been a firm staple of modern Battlefield games since Battlefield 2. It returns as the Russian attack helo, with two slots - the pilot and a gunner, and weapons wise has rockets for the pilot and a 30mm cannon for the gunner. So all as usual there then. Interestingly according to BF3blog.com, the Havoc is 10km/h slower than the Super Cobra, so in the ever constant circling of death, the Havoc may be the easier target...
 * Unlocks
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Heat seeking missiles
 * Main cannon autoloader
 * 3X zoom
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Guided missile
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * Laser painter
 * ECM jammer
 * Guided rockets
 * TV missile

KA-60
A Battlefield debut for this Russian helicopter, the KA-60 is the Russian transport helicopter and boy, does it look ugly! The KA-60 is pretty much the same as the UH-1Y - 1 pilot, two gunners with mounted machine guns and two passengers, with unlockable rockets for the pilot. I think this helo could be quite nice, but the tail end of the KA-60 may make it a bit easier a target, as it's in-line rotor may cause a few RPGs that would normally miss to hit their targets.
 * Unlocks:
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Rockets
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * ECM jammer

Z-11
A Chinese helicopter, the Z-11 is the Russian scout helo in Battlefield 3. Looking pretty similar to the British Lynx IRL, which holds the speed record for helos apparently, the Z-11 is the (slightly larger) counter-part to the Little Bird, and has rockets for the pilot and a gunner with a machine-gun for comfort. It can also equip unlocked guided rockets for the pilot as well.
 * Unlocks
 * Stealth
 * IR flares
 * Proximity radar
 * Air radar
 * Rockets
 * Extinguisher
 * Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
 * Thermal optics
 * ECM jammer
 * Guided rockets

So, there we go. Six helicopters and six bullseyes in the sky. Comment nicely and find something nice to do while your brain goes into Battlefield-overdrive during the next few days. HP out. Boop! Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-comment (nicely)! - 16:07, October 17, 2011 (UTC)

(yes, a Tobuscus paraphrase, but I'm getting bored of watching my clock endlessly tick away towards the 28th...)

Source - Battlefield 3 Helicopters