Aircraft & UAVs

M/AH-6M Little Bird

Also known as
  • AH-6M
  • MH-6M
  • A/MH-6M
  • AH-6 Little Bird
  • MH-6 Little Bird
  • Little Bird

The M/AH-6M Little Bird family pairs a compact special operations helicopter with armed and troop-carrying mission fits: AH-6M aircraft provide close air support with guns, rockets, and missiles, while MH-6M aircraft move small assault teams into confined landing zones. U.S. Army history documents AH/MH-6 Little Birds in Somalia and AH-6 support at Hadithah Dam in Iraq; later open-source reporting tied M/AH-6Ms to a caveated 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict support role.

M/AH-6M Little Bird, Light special operations helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: MH-6 Little Bird image

Role in Conflicts

1991 Somali Civil War
Side
Somali government and aligned forces
Role in conflict
Special operations attack and assault lift

In 1993, Task Force Ranger deployed four AH-6 attack helicopters and four MH-6 lift helicopters to Somalia; ARSOF History describes the AH-6s as rocket- and minigun-armed Little Birds and the MH-6s as bench-equipped assault-lift aircraft.

2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict
Role in conflict
Special operations close air support and insertion support

Secondary reporting on Operation Absolute Resolve described Boeing Little Bird M/AH-6M helicopters supporting the extraction phase and AH-6Ms likely providing close escort for MH-6M insertions in Caracas. Other reporting said only MH-60 and MH-47 helicopters were confirmed inside Venezuelan airspace, so the open-source identification remains caveated.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Light special operations helicopter
Service note
Modern U.S. Army special operations service
Designer
Hughes Helicopters; later McDonnell Douglas/MD Helicopters lineage
Designed
Based on the OH-6/MD 500 Little Bird family, with M-series special operations upgrades

Specifications

Crew
2
Speed
143 mph
Range
250 miles
Dimensions
32.05 ft length; 27.5 ft rotor diameter; 8 ft 11 in height
AH-6M armament
GAU-19 or M134 guns, M260 or MJ-12 rocket pods, anti-tank guided missiles, or two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles
MH-6M payload
Up to six personnel externally
Mission Configurations

The Little Bird's catalog role depends on mission fit: the AH-6M carries weapons for escort and close support, while the MH-6M trades weapons emphasis for compact assault lift into confined landing zones.

ConfigurationPrimary roleDocumented equipment
AH-6MClose air support, armed reconnaissance, escortGAU-19 or M134 guns, 2.75-inch rocket pods, anti-tank guided missiles, and AGM-114 Hellfire options.
MH-6MSpecial operations assault liftPersonnel-carrying fit for up to six externally carried troops, matching the Little Bird bench-assault concept described in Somalia-era ARSOF history.
AH/MH family useCombined attack and lift packageTask Force Ranger used both AH-6 attack and MH-6 lift helicopters in Somalia, while 160th SOAR AH-6s provided armed support during the Hadithah Dam operation in Iraq.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book; ARSOF Somalia TF Ranger Little Birds; ARSOF Hadithah Dam Little Bird Support.

Variants

The record covers the U.S. special operations Little Bird family around the M-series split between the armed AH-6M and assault-lift MH-6M mission fits.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
AH-6M Little BirdArmed attack and escort configuration

USSOCOM lists the AH-6M for close air support and armed reconnaissance with gun, rocket, anti-tank missile, and Hellfire options.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book

MH-6M Little BirdSpecial operations assault-lift configuration

USSOCOM identifies the MH-6M as the personnel-carrying Little Bird fit, and ARSOF History describes the earlier MH-6 bench layout carrying six assault personnel.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book, ARSOF Somalia TF Ranger Little Birds

Carried Armament

USSOCOM and U.S. Army special-operations history describe Little Bird armed configurations built around rotary guns, 2.75-inch rockets, and missile options.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
M134 Minigun, 7.62 mm minigun, Infantry WeaponsM134 Minigun7.62 mm rotary gun

USSOCOM lists M134 guns for the AH-6M, and ARSOF History describes Little Birds in Somalia and Iraq using 7.62 mm miniguns.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book, ARSOF Somalia TF Ranger Little Birds, ARSOF Hadithah Dam Little Bird Support

GAU-19 machine gun, .50 caliber rotary heavy machine gun, Infantry WeaponsGAU-19 machine gun.50 caliber rotary gun

USSOCOM lists GAU-19 guns among AH-6M armament options.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book

Hydra-70 rocket system, 2.75-inch air-launched rocket family, MunitionsHydra-70 rocket system2.75-inch air-launched rocket family

The AH-6M armament set includes 2.75-inch rocket pods, and ARSOF History documents AH-6 Little Birds firing 2.75-inch rockets at Hadithah Dam.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book, ARSOF Hadithah Dam Little Bird Support

AGM-114 Hellfire missile family, Air-to-surface missile family, MunitionsAGM-114 Hellfire missile familyAir-to-surface missile option

USSOCOM lists two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles among the AH-6M armament options.

Sources: 2026 USSOCOM Fact Book

Timeline

M/AH-6M Little Bird Key Events

  1. Task Force Ranger Little Birds fight in Mogadishu

    ARSOF History describes Task Force Ranger's 160th SOAR detachment in Somalia as including four AH-6 and four MH-6 Little Birds during the October 3-4, 1993 Mogadishu battle.

    Sources: ARSOF Somalia TF Ranger Little Birds

  2. AH-6s support the Hadithah Dam assault

    U.S. Army special-operations history records 160th SOAR AH-6 Little Birds providing reconnaissance and close air support for Rangers seizing Hadithah Dam in Iraq.

    Sources: ARSOF Hadithah Dam Little Bird Support

Media

M/AH-6M Little Bird Images

M/AH-6M Little Bird, Light special operations helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: MH-6 Little Bird image
M/AH-6M Little Bird, Light special operations helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: AH-6J Little Bird image
Related Weapon Systems
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AC-130 gunship, Heavily armed fixed-wing gunship, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAC-130 gunshipHeavily armed fixed-wing gunshipThe AC-130 gunship is a side-firing C-130 derivative built for persistent close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, and special-operations overwatch. Modern AC-130U, AC-130W, and AC-130J aircraft pair trainable cannon armament with electro-optical/infrared sensors, fire-control systems, communications suites, and standoff precision munitions so crews can support ground forces from extended loiter or overwatch positions.
AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, Twin-engine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAH-64E Apache attack helicopterTwin-engine attack helicopterThe AH-64E Apache is Boeing's Echo-model Apache variant, developed from the AH-64D Block III remanufacture program and built around improved engines, sensors, networking, and a two-person attack-helicopter weapons station. Direct source-backed conflict records place AH-64E aircraft with U.S. Army units in Operation Inherent Resolve, the 2001 War in Afghanistan's Operation Freedom's Sentinel phase, and Operation Epic Fury during the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict.

Sources

2026 USSOCOM Fact BookPublisher: U.S. Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AH-6M and MH-6M specifications, primary functions, crew, speed, range, armament, and payload. | Accessed: 2026-06-29AH-6 Little BirdPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports manufacturer and background context for the AH-6 light attack, multimission, reconnaissance, escort, insertion, extraction, and rapid reconfiguration mission set. | Accessed: 2026-06-29ARSOF Hadithah Dam Little Bird SupportPublisher: U.S. Army Special Operations Command History Office | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct use by 160th SOAR AH-6 Little Birds during the April 1, 2003 Hadithah Dam operation, including reconnaissance, close air support, and firing of miniguns, .50 caliber rounds, and 2.75-inch rockets. | Accessed: 2026-06-29ARSOF Somalia TF Ranger Little BirdsPublisher: U.S. Army Special Operations Command History Office | Note: Supports 1991 Somali Civil War direct use by U.S. Task Force Ranger, including four AH-6 attack Little Birds, four MH-6 lift Little Birds, AH-6 rocket and minigun armament, and MH-6 external assault benches. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Venezuela Attack and the Primacy of the US AirpowerPublisher: Global Defense Insight | Note: Supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict reporting that Boeing Little Bird M/AH-6M helicopters were fielded by U.S. forces to support the extraction phase of Operation Absolute Resolve. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Inside U.S. Special Forces Helicopter Fleet Used for Mission to Capture Venezuela's President MaduroPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict reporting that AH-6Ms were likely used by U.S. forces for close escort and localized fire support around Caracas. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Why Stealth Black Hawks Weren't Used For Maduro Capture MissionPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports the sourcing caveat for the 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict by reporting that only MH-60 and MH-47 helicopters were confirmed in Venezuelan airspace and that Little Birds did not appear to be present. | Accessed: 2026-06-29MH-6 Little Bird imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for the primary Little Bird image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29MH-6M fast-rope training imagePublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for an MH-6M Little Bird fast-rope training image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29AH-6J Little Bird imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for a Little Bird operational image from the same aircraft family. | Accessed: 2026-06-29