Scout Helicopters — Battlefield 3 Premium eGuide

The scout helicopters bridge the gap between the attack helicopters and the transport helicopters. Initially the scout helicopters have only light armament in the form of gun pods that are ideal for strafing infantry and light vehicles. But new and more powerful weapons can be unlocked to turn these small, agile helicopters into formidable weapons platforms. Over time, both Heat Seekers and Guided Missiles can be unlocked and equipped, allowing these helicopters to serve a more active role in shooting down enemy aircraft and destroying enemy armor. But with three passenger seats, the scout helicopter is best utilized as a quick way to move troops around the battlefield.

Scout Helicopter Unlock Progression

Name	Loadout Slot	Points	Description
IR Flares	Gadget	400	Infrared flare launchers that when launched will distract incoming missiles and cause them to miss their locked target.
Heat Seekers	Weapon	1,200	Heat-seeking missiles launched by the pilot that lock on to and track enemy aircraft.
Stealth	Upgrade	2,500	Engine tuning and fuselage coating materials disguise your vehicle’s infrared signature, thereby increasing enemy locking and tracking difficulty and decreasing the time you are revealed to the enemy when spotted.
Autoloader	Upgrade	4,400	An enhanced mechanism decreases the minimum time between firing bursts with your main weapon.
Proximity Scan	Upgrade	7,000	External sensors detect and reveal enemy units on your minimap.
Air Radar	Upgrade	10,000	The range of your minimap increases greatly and reveals all friendly and enemy aircraft.
Extinguisher	Gadget	14,000	A controlled air pressure release in the engine compartment will extinguish engine fires when activated, helping a disabled aircraft return to normal operation and recover from damage.
Maintenance	Upgrade	19,000	Preventative maintenance procedures improve your vehicle’s recovery from damage.
Guided Missile	Weapon	25,000	Guided missiles launched by the pilot that lock on to and track enemy land vehicles and can acquire laser-designated targets even if they are out of line of sight.
Below Radar	Upgrade	32,000	When flying at low altitudes your heat signature is decreased, hiding you from enemy radar and preventing enemy air-to-air missile systems from locking on to you.
Laser Painter	Upgrade	40,000	Nose-mounted targeting systems designate an enemy vehicle in your line of sight automatically, painting them as a target for teammates using laser-guided weapons.
ECM Jammer	Gadget	48,000	Electronic countermeasures including chaff launchers and deceptive transmitters prevent your aircraft from being locked on to by enemy weapon systems for a short time when activated.

AH-6J Little Bird

Nationality : US

Description : This is an improved attack version of the MH-6.

Vehicle Performance

Speed
Armor
Firepower

Vehicle Occupancy

Seat	Position	Weapon
1	Pilot	Gun Pod
2	Passenger	Troop Kit
3	Passenger	Troop Kit
4	Passenger	None

Z-11W

Nationality : RU

Description : This is an armed military version of the Z-11 Chinese light utility helicopter.

Vehicle Performance

Speed
Armor
Firepower

Vehicle Occupancy

Seat	Position	Weapon
1	Pilot	Gun Pod
2	Passenger	Troop Kit
3	Passenger	Troop Kit
4	Passenger	None

[ Scout Helicopter Tactics ]

On some maps, the scout helicopters are the fastest way to transport troops. So don’t take off until every seat is full. Instead of landing, fly over your destination so you passengers can bail out and parachute down to the ground. This is the best way to quickly secure control points during Conquest matches. For more precise troop insertions, these helicopters are small and agile enough to land on rooftops or other elevated positions usually inaccessible to infantry. So consider dropping recon troops on high perches so they can monitor the battlefield from above.
The reticle in the center of the pilot’s HUD is the aiming point for the chopper’s gun pods. The gun pods are fixed and always fire straight ahead. This requires you to dip the nose of the chopper while engaging targets on the ground. When pitching the nose down, the chopper will lose altitude. Applying full rotor speed can reduce the speed of descent, but you will still need to pitch the nose of the chopper up to avoid crashing. So when performing strafing runs, don’t get greedy. Fire a quick burst then pull away before you crash.
The gun pods are best deployed against infantry and light vehicles. But with sustained, accurate fire, they can damage armored vehicles, too, including IFVs and tanks. As usual, try to hit these vehicles from the side or rear to inflict the most damage.
Once the Laser Painter is unlocked a scout helicopter becomes a self-sufficient tank killer. The Laser Painter upgrade allows the chopper to designate its own targets and fire on them with the Guided Missile weapon unlock. It’s up to the pilot to both designate the target and fire the missile. Start by orienting the chopper within line of sight of an enemy vehicle to automatically attain a lock. At this point a Guided Missile can be fired, which will automatically home in on the laser.
Given their speed and maneuverability, the scout helicopters serve as great air-to-air weapons platforms when armed with the Heat Seekers unlock. When an enemy aircraft is within view, instead of chasing it, simply rotate the chopper so you’re always facing the target. This gives the missile enough time to lock on. While carrying these missiles, the pilot can still switch back to the gun pods for strafing runs. So once unlocked, there’s no reason not to have the Heat Seekers unlock assigned to the weapon slot. But when the Guided Missile is unlocked, you’ll have to make a choice between the two.