Anti-tank helicopter (ATH), or anti-armor helicopter, is a type of armed helicopter, predominantly intended for anti-tank duties.
Dedicated anti-tank helicopters are usually outfitted with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)-system with an integrated optronic targeting system. While such helicopters may be equipped with radar warning receivers (RWR), electronic countermeasures (CM), or other warning and protection systems, etc., they mainly avoid danger through evasive doctrine. The targeting system is often a roof-mounted sight (RMS / roof sight), or mast-mounted sight (MMS / mast sight) above the rotor, which allows the helicopter to scout targets largely from behind cover, while the ATGM:s allow the helicopters to engage targets at ranges beyond small arms fire, and with the margin needed for evasive action against long range weapons.
Anti-tank helicopters are often cheap and readily available scout or utility helicopters, outfitted with anti-tank systems, as opposed to more expensive multi-purpose attack helicopters, culminating in a more cost-effectivene solution to aerial anti-armor duties. Attack helicopters are also used as anti-tank helicopters periodically, but there are also dedicated anti-tank versions of certain attack helicopter models. The Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter has a dedicated anti-tank version equipped with a mast-mounted sight, in French designated Tiger HAC (, "anti-tank helicopter"), in German originally designated PAH-2 (, "anti-armor helicopter 2").
optical sight