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A129 Mangusta
Photo: Aldo Bidini · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
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A129Mangusta

Attack Helicopters · Italy · 1990
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A129Mangusta

A129 Mangusta
A129 Mangusta Photo: Aldo Bidini · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
* Absolute score — assessed within category · no era adjustment
Firepower
75
Anti-Armour Capability
70
Survivability
70
Sensors & Targeting
60
Agility
80
Range & Endurance
65
Night Capability
55
Reliability
75
Technology
65
Cost-Effectiveness
80
Origin Italy
ManufacturerLeonardo, AgustaWestland, Agusta
CategoryAttack Helicopters
EraCold War
In service1990
Operators2 countries
Quantity60
Data Quality83%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
70
Attack Helicopters MASS Rating
12/21
Cold War
26/45
All-Time
Attack Helicopters · 10 axes scored
Firepower
75
Anti-Armour Capability
70
Survivability
70
Sensors & Targeting
60
Agility
80
Range & Endurance
65
Night Capability
55
Reliability
75
Technology
65
Cost-Effectiveness
80
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the attack helicopters category.
01 / Overview
A129 Mangusta
Country
Prime contractor
Production
1990–
Quantity
60
Operators
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
ATTACK HELICOPTERS · COLD WAR
12
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
82
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
70
attack helicopters category
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the attack helicopters category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General6MOD.6
  • First Flight1983
  • Service Entry Year1990
  • Crew2
  • Passengers0
  • Primary RoleLight observation and anti-tank helicopter
  • In ServiceYes
◈Powerplant8MOD.8
  • Engine TypeRolls-Royce Gem 2-1004D (license built by Piaggio)
  • Number of Engines2
  • Engine Power (each)656 kW
  • Transmission Rating1,140 kW
  • Rotor ConfigurationSingle main rotor with tail rotor
  • Main Rotor Diameter11.9 m
  • Main Rotor Blades4
  • Anti-Torque TypeTail rotor
▣Performance10MOD.10
  • Top Speed278 km/h
  • Cruise Speed220 km/h
  • Never-Exceed Speed (VNE)313 km/h
  • Service Ceiling4,725 m
  • Hover Ceiling (IGE)3,048 m
  • Hover Ceiling (OGE)2,300 m
  • Range510 km
  • Ferry Range1,000 km
  • Rate of Climb10.2 m/s
  • Endurance240
◇Dimensions & Weights7MOD.7
  • Fuselage Length11.2 m
  • Height3.35 m
  • Rotor Disc Area111.2
  • Empty Weight2,530 kg
  • Max Takeoff Weight4,100 kg
  • Useful Load1,570 kg
  • Cabin Volume1.5
◆Armament & Mission7MOD.7
▲Production2MOD.2
  • Total Built60
  • Variants5
◎Service History2MOD.2
  • Production Start1978
  • Operational StatusIn service with Italian Army; upgrades ongoing
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
  1. 1990Production started
36
years in service
60
units produced
2
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it.
04 / Operators
Operator Countries2country
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE14terms
Anti-Tank Guided Missile: a missile designed to destroy tanks.
Air-to-air missiles are guided missiles fired from aircraft to engage other aircraft. They are used for self-defense and to gain air superiority.
Autopilot/AFCS (Automatic Flight Control System) is an avionics suite that automatically controls a helicopter’s attitude, navigation and flight path, providing stability augmentation and reducing pilot workload.
Chaff/Flare: Countermeasures deployed by attack helicopters to disrupt radar- or heat-seeking missiles by creating false targets or decoys.
Armored protective panels installed in the cockpit area of an attack helicopter to shield the crew from small arms fire and shrapnel.
Seats designed to absorb crash forces, reducing injury to occupants.
Combined forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and electro-optical (EO) sensor turret for target acquisition and tracking, typically mounted on aircraft or ground vehicles.
A radar system that tracks targets and guides weapons to intercept them, used for weapon aiming and missile guidance in combat aircraft and ships.
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit featuring electronic instrument displays, typically LCD or CRT screens, replacing traditional analog gauges.
A helmet-mounted system that projects flight, targeting, and sensor data directly into a pilot's field of view.
A sight mounted on a helicopter's mast for targeting.
Electronic receiver system that detects and identifies radar signals, alerting aircraft to potential threats for defensive countermeasures.
Aerodynamic containers mounted on aircraft, typically helicopters or fighter jets, that hold and launch unguided rockets in rapid succession.
Fuel tanks equipped with a material that automatically seals punctures from small arms fire or shrapnel to prevent leakage and reduce fire risk.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources
📖 ENCYCLOPEDIA Browse the Attack Helicopters entry →