During the 1971 War, Indian Army’s IV Corps under the command of Lt Gen Sagat Singh, faced a seemingly impossible task of crossing the Meghna River in Bangladesh– about 10 to 12 kilometres wide at places. All the bridges across the river had been destroyed by the retreating Pakistani forces to halt the Indian Army’s advance and buy time (for the Pakistani troops) to regroup and fortify Dhaka.
Lt Gen Sagat Singh, and his men refused to be bogged down and instead of waiting for the engineers to construct pontoon bridges – gave shape to one of the most daring and innovative manoeuvres in Indian military history. This came to be known as the “Meghna Heli Bridge.”
Over the next few days, hundreds of Mi-4s helicopters from the 110, 105, and 111 Helicopter Units of the Indian Air Force, air lifted entire battalions of Indian soldiers, artillery, and supplies across the river deep into enemy-held territory without any preparation or rehearsal. This dampened the morale and accelerated the collapse of Pakistani forces, denying them the time to regroup or receive international support for a ceasefire.
As a result, the Indian forces were able to outflank Pakistani positions and advance rapidly toward Dhaka, leading to the surrender of over 93,000 Pakistani troops on December 16, 1971 – the largest surrenders since World War II. The Meghna crossing demonstrated that air mobility could redefine the geometry of war, allowing commanders to leap over natural and man-made obstacles, compress timelines, and achieve surprise.
History and Importance of Helicopters in Modern Warfare
Helicopters often called Taxi to War are indispensable assets of modern warfare and one of the key battle winning factors in counter-terrorist and conventional military operations. From their humble beginning during World War II to present day asymmetric conflicts, helicopters have redefined battlefield geometry because of their ability to transport troops, supplies, and firepower swiftly across hostile and inaccessible terrains. They can bypass obstacles, respond to threats, and execute precision strikes deep inside enemy territory.
World War II: The Early, Limited Role
Helicopters were still an experimental technology during World War II. Germany, a pioneer in the field, developed Focke-Wulf Fw 61 and Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri and used the first military helicopters during World War II.
Around the same time, the United States also began using the Sikorsky R-4 helicopter and performed the first recorded combat rescue of four downed airmen behind enemy lines in Burma in 1944.
The early helicopters were slow, underpowered, and primarily used for reconnaissance, liaison, and rescue missions. Compared to fighters and bombers, they were still produced in small numbers but proved their worth as rescue and observation platforms. Their battlefield performance laid the foundation for their deployment for mobility, close air support, and rapid response operations in future.
The Korean War: A New Possibility
The Korean War (1950–53) witnessed the first large-scale deployment of Bell H-13 Sioux and Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopters for medevac and troop transport. The rugged terrain of Korea, which was difficult for ground vehicles. This made helicopters an invaluable tool. This conflict introduced the concept of vertical envelopment—airlifting troops behind enemy lines. Helicopters like the Bell H-13 Sioux were used to quickly transport wounded soldiers from the battlefield to mobile field hospitals within the golden hour, significantly increasing their survival rates. Helicopters were used to move troops and supplies to and from difficult-to-reach locations. Helicopters were also used by commanders to scout terrain and control their troops on the battlefield. However, they were not yet a primary offensive weapon.
Helicopters are indispensable assets in counter-terrorist or conventional military operations. From their humble beginning during World War II to present day asymmetric conflicts, helicopters have redefined battlefield geometry by transporting troops, supplies, and firepower across hostile and inaccessible terrain
The Vietnam War: The Helicopter War
The Vietnam War (1955-1975) is often called “the Helicopter War” because it was the first conflict where a large number of helicopters were used to counter local guerrilla warriors in the dense jungles and mountains of Vietnam. In what was probably the first time, over 12,000 helicopters were used to rapidly insert and extract troops and equipment directly into the combat zones. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) became a symbol of the war because of its ability to serve as a gunship, transport troops, and perform medical evacuations.
The Vietnam War also saw the development of Bell AH-1 Cobra – the first multi-purpose attack helicopter fitted with machine guns, rockets and missiles while heavy-lift helicopters like the Boeing CH-47 Chinook were used for moving artillery, vehicles, and other heavy equipment. By the end of the Vietnam War, military helicopters started being designed for speed, and lethality. The development of sophisticated BGM-71 TOW and AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles made a new generation of attack helicopters like AH-64 Apache earn the nickname – tank-killer. Helicopters like the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk equipped with sonar, radar, and torpedoes were used to hunt enemy submarines while the MH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopters allowed the Special Forces to reach deep behind enemy lines.
By the end of the conflict, nearly 12,000 helicopters had seen action, logging over 10 million flight hours, with more than 5,000 lost to combat and accidents.
This gave rise to the concept of “air cavalry”. Helicopters functioned as mobile strike platforms for troop insertions, close air support, supply drops, and casualty evacuation. Helicopters were no longer just support assets—they became flying tanks.
The 1970s and ’80s saw the emergence of AH-1 Cobra and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters with precision firepower, night-fighting capabilities, and anti-armour lethality. To counter this, the Soviet Union came up with Mi-24 Hind, a hybrid gunship and troop carrier.
Gulf War and the Doctrine of Air-Land Battle
During the Gulf War in 1991, helicopters proved their worth in night operations and deep strikes against Iraqi armour. Their ability to operate in adverse weather and deliver precision-guided munitions gave birth to the U.S. Army doctrine of air-land battle that emphasised the seamless integration of air and ground forces to strike deep, disrupt enemy formations, and control the tempo of battle. Helicopters, particularly attack and utility variants, played a pivotal role in bringing this doctrine to life on the deserts of Kuwait and Iraq.
One of the most significant contributions of helicopters in the Gulf War was their ability to operate at night. Equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensors and advanced targeting systems, Apaches could identify and engage targets in total darkness and poor weather. This provided coalition forces with a continuous 24-hour combat capability, dominating the battlefield at all times.
Iraq and Afghanistan: Asymmetric Warfare and Urban Combat
Black Hawk, Apache, and CH-47 Chinook Helicopters proved their worth as lifelines for the troops in urban and mountainous terrain in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the early stages of the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989) the Soviet Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters dominated the battlefield, till the U.S.-supplied Stinger surface-to-air missiles to the mujahideen in 1986. These shoulder-fired weapons inflicted heavy losses and forced Soviet pilots to fly higher and faster, which reduced their accuracy and ability to effectively support the infantry troops on the ground. The Afghan conflict highlighted the vulnerabilities of helicopters which made them prime targets for man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS).The threat of MANPADS (shoulder-fired missiles) led to innovations in countermeasures and tactics.
The lesson was reinforced during the post-2001 war in Afghanistan, where helicopters became the preferred method for the U.S. and coalition forces to move troops, resupply remote outposts, and evacuate the wounded when road convoys were threatened by improvised explosive devices and ambushes. In 2010 more than 90 helicopters participated in Operation Moshtarak to insert troops into Taliban-held territory with precision and speed.
Kargil War (1999): Utility of Helicopters in High-Altitude Warfare
The Kargil War between India and Pakistan offered one of the most challenging environments for aviation— along the Line of Control in the Himalayas, where steep ridges and snowy peaks made road movement slow and perilous. Helicopters proved to be the vital life line by making sure that the troops on ground in the forward posts had ample ration and ammunition. The Indian Air Force launched Operation Safed Sagar during the war, devoting more than a third of its sorties to helicopters. One of the IAF pilots was Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena – the first Indian woman to fly in a combat zone. Gunjan and her colleagues saved hundreds of lives by flying endless sorties to evacuate injured soldiers against hostile enemy fire and treacherous weather conditions. Helicopters proved to be indispensable for logistics and medical support throughout the campaign.
During the 1971 War, hundreds of Mi-4s helicopters air lifted entire battalions of Indian soldiers, artillery, and supplies across the Meghna River, deep inside enemy territory. As a result, the Indian forces were able to outflank Pakistani positions and advance rapidly toward Dhaka, leading to surrender of over 93,000 Pakistani troops on December 16, 1971
Ruso-Ukraine War – Battlespace Dominated by Drones and Precision Weapons
The Ukraine war further demonstrated the evolving role of helicopters in battlefields dominated by drones, and precision weapons. Both Russia and Ukraine began the conflict with significant rotary-wing fleets. Russia deployed Ka-52 Alligator, Mi-28 Havoc, and Mi-35 Hind gunships while Ukraine fielded its Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. In the early stages of the war, Ukrainian pilots demonstrated extraordinary bravery and skill, by flying low under intense enemy fire to deliver supplies and evacuate wounded personnel trapped in Mariupol. But these missions had a heavy cost, in terms of helicopter losses due to MANPADS and anti-aircraft fire.
According to reports both Russia and Ukraine lost more than a hundred helicopters in the first two years of fighting, forcing a dramatic shift in tactics. Attack helicopters now operate from greater distances, using standoff weapons and “toss bombing” techniques to reduce exposure. Electronic countermeasures, infrared jammers, and improved night-vision systems have been integrated into platforms like the Ka-52 to mitigate threats.
Operation Sindoor: Unified Combat System with Helicopters and Drones
Operation Sindoor in May 2025 highlighted the integrated nature of modern warfare, where helicopters, drones, and precision-guided munitions operate as part of a unified combat system. The operation saw Indian forces carry out deep strikes on multiple terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir using a combination of SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER precision bombs, and loitering munitions. While helicopters were not the primary strike platforms, they played a supporting role in coordination, surveillance, and logistics, even as drones and stealth aircraft dominate frontline strike roles. Operation Sindoor showed how helicopters now serve as part of a multi-domain combat network.
Pathways to the Future: Joint Operations between Helicopters and Drones
As warfare continues to evolve, helicopters are likely to be paired more closely with drones. They will operate with advanced electronic protection, and adopt stealthier designs to reduce their signature on the battlefield. They may no longer dominate the skies as they did in Vietnam, but they continue to serve as the connective tissue of modern military campaigns—bridging air and ground forces, saving lives, and projecting power where no other platform can operate.
–The writer is a seasoned media professional with over three decades of experience in print, electronic, and web media. He is presently Editor of Taazakhabar News. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
