The OH-6 would act as bait to draw enemy fire and mark targets for other platforms such as the AH-1 to attack. In theater, it was commonly operated in teams with rotorcraft such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, using so-called 'hunter-killer' tactics to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets. Army, and promptly entered active combat in the Vietnam War. Army awarded a production contract to Hughes.ĭuring 1966, the OH-6 began service with the U.S. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that was crashworthy and provided excellent external visibility. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. The Model 369 submitted by Hughes competed against two other finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract.

The OH-6 was developed to meet United States Army Technical Specification 153, issued in 1960 to replace its Bell H-13 Sioux fleet. Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people, while its ' Loach' nickname comes from the acronym for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program under which it was procured.

The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters.

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