Battlefield Beta Could of Added Helos

Hello all. Now, those of you who have been with us a while will know that I LOVE Helicopters in Bad Company 2. Anyone else who can survive an entire round on Atacama Desert Onslaught in Hardcore mode will know what I mean. And with Battlefield 3’s release on the horizon, BF3blog.com has almost answered my one pressing question: What will the helicopters be like in Battlefield 3?

There are three types of helicopter in Battlefield 3 – the attack helo, the transport helo, and the scout helo. Each of these three classes of helicopters has a different unlock chart and tactics for use, and are pretty self explanatory for the latter. Please note terminology – helicopter = helo.

 Helicopters

AH-1 Super Cobra

The Super Cobra is the USMC’s attack helicopter, and is pretty much the same as in Battlefield 2 – it can seat two people, the pilot and the gunner, and has access initially to rocket pods (for the pilot) and the distinctive three-barreled gatling gun (for the gunner).

• Unlocks:
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Heat seeking missiles
  • Main cannon autoloader
  • 3X zoom
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Guided missile
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • Laser painter
  • ECM jammer
  • Guided rockets
  • TV missile

UH-1Y Venom/Super Huey

A new helicopter to the Battlefield series, the UH-1Y is the USMC’s transport helicopter. It is pretty much the same as the  – a pilot, two gunners (with mounted MGs) and two passengers. Importantly, the pilot can also unlock rockets, which could result in the Venom being used primarily as an attack helo rather than a transport… 

• Unlocks:
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Rockets
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • ECM jammer

AH-6J Little Bird

Our favourite Scout helo flying insect is back, and seems as potent as ever. Seating two players, the pilot and a gunner, the AH-6J has access initially to rockets for the pilot and a machine gun for the gunner, but can unlock guided rockets in addition.

• Unlocks
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Rockets
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • ECM jammer
  • Guided rockets

 helos

Mi-28 Havoc

Back from the Bad Company series to wreak yet more Frostbite-based havoc (see what I did there…) the Mi-28 has been a firm staple of modern Battlefield games since Battlefield 2. It returns as the Russian attack helo, with two slots – the pilot and a gunner, and weapons wise has rockets for the pilot and a 30mm cannon for the gunner. So all as usual there then. Interestingly according to BF3blog.com, the Havoc is 10km/h slower than the Super Cobra, so in the ever constant circling of death, the Havoc may be the easier target…

• Unlocks
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Heat seeking missiles
  • Main cannon autoloader
  • 3X zoom
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Guided missile
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • Laser painter
  • ECM jammer
  • Guided rockets
  • TV missile

KA-60

A Battlefield debut for this Russian helicopter, the KA-60 is the Russian transport helicopter and boy, does it look ugly! The KA-60 is pretty much the same as the UH-1Y – 1 pilot, two gunners with mounted machine guns and two passengers, with unlockable rockets for the pilot. I think this helo could be quite nice, but the tail end of the KA-60 may make it a bit easier a target, as it’s in-line rotor may cause a few RPGs that would normally miss to hit their targets.

• Unlocks:
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Rockets
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • ECM jammer

Z-11

A Chinese helicopter, the Z-11 is the Russian scout helo in Battlefield 3. Looking pretty similar to the British Lynx IRL, which holds the speed record for helos apparently, the Z-11 is the (slightly larger) counter-part to the Little Bird, and has rockets for the pilot and a gunner with a machine-gun for comfort. It can also equip unlocked guided rockets for the pilot as well.

• Unlocks
  • Stealth
  • IR flares
  • Proximity radar
  • Air radar
  • Rockets
  • Extinguisher
  • Maintenance (increased auto-repair)
  • Thermal optics
  • ECM jammer
  • Guided rockets