Pave Low

The MH-53 Pave Low is a large, heavily armored assault helicopter featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Pave Lows appear in every part of Modern Warfare 2.

Appearance in Campaign

 * S.S.D.D
 * Wolverines!
 * The Hornet's Nest
 * Exodus
 * The Gulag
 * Loose Ends
 * Endgame



Known Pave Lows

 * Warhorse 5-1 (Destroyed)
 * Nikolai's Pave Low
 * Raptor's Pave Low (Destroyed)

Appearance in Spec Ops
The Pave Lows featured in Special Ops are either destroyed, or used as props.
 * Homeland Security
 * Body Count
 * Wardriving

Multiplayer
The MH-53 is available as a killstreak perk after a killstreak of 9 (or 8 with the Hardline perk). Since it is used as an armored attack helicopter, the MH-53 is harder to destroy and packs a bigger punch than regular attack helicopters as it features two gun turrets instead of one. However it is also bigger and slower, making it a potentially easier target to shoot down, provided the enemy guns do not shoot the player down first. The helicopter is equipped with one set of flares, which will distract any locked-on missile. After the flares are spent, a missile can track it directly. If a missile strikes the Pave Low while turning to follow the flares, it will still destroy the aircraft just as if it had scored a direct hit. However as the Pave Lows fly very low, a Stinger can take out Pave Lows in one missile if it is low enough and the player jumps when it is fired or he fires directly below it, he can take it out quickly and to annoyance of the owner. Pave Lows seem to be much more intelligent, with regards to enemy targeting, than Attack Helicopters. This may be because it can fire from both sides as opposed to just one. For example, it will target a player who recently tried to shoot it with a rocket. It also travels across the map to kill selected targets. Plus, it typically targets an opponent who is on a kill streak first before dealing with other threats. Calling in a Pave Low rewards the player with 300 XP. Destroying a Pave Low gives 400 XP (4000 in Search and Destroy). As of the patch released alongside the Stimulus Package, Pave Lows now count toward the user's killstreak. Pave Lows can also easily be destroyed by a Harrier like all other Helicopters in the airspace.

Tips

 * Standing directly under a Pave Low with a Stinger occasionally lets the helicopter be destroyed with one missile. This can also be accomplished with the Chopper Gunner but is much less likely as it usually flies higher, and is smaller than the Pave Low.
 * If aiming at a Pave Low with an AT4-HS, it is advised to fire an unguided missile, as its large size will make it easier to hit and the missile will not be deflected by the flares.
 * It is strongly inadvisable to call in a Pave Low if the player's team also has a Harrier. Although a Pave Low can be called in while the Harrier is up, it is remarkably easy for the enemy team to destroy both killstreaks simply by shooting the Harrier with a Stinger. Also the Harrier and the Pave Low would "steal" each other's kills, making fewer overall kills.
 * If a Pave Low is hovering over the large fuel tanks on Quarry, it can be destroyed by exploding the fuel tanks. Explosives are very effective as they are the most immediate way to explode the tanks.
 * Pave Lows have 3000 health, take 0.3x the base damage from bullets at all times, are destroyed instantly by guided missile launchers (Javelin/Stinger) if its flares are used up and take 2100 damage from RPG-7s/AT4-HSs.
 * A common way to get a Pave Low is to have the Predator missile and the Harrier also equipped, as the player should get at least one kill with the predator, and easily two kills with the harrier.

Trivia

 * The Pave Low appears in more levels than any other aircraft in the Campaign.
 * A Callsign in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has the title "Transformer", with Pave Lows on it. This is a reference to the Decepticon Blackout from the 2007 Transformers movie, whose vehicular form was a Pave Low.
 * When looking at the cockpit of a Pave Low in killcam or while spectating, the player can see that the Pave Low actually has a pilot and co-pilot, unlike the Attack Helicopter.
 * When the Pave Low fires its turrets, it appears to use FMJ rounds.
 * Upon the release of the Stimulus Package, a patch made the Pave Low's kills now count to a killstreak.
 * The Prestige Challenge for kills with a Pave Low is named "Jolly Green Giant" an earlier version of the Pave Low.
 * On the PlayStation 3 multiplayer, "Pave Low" is spelled in two words, but on Xbox 360, it is spelled as one word, "Pavelow", and when someone launches it or it was acquired from care package the game says "Pave Low". In the PC version, it is spelled "Pave Low" when the killstreak is attained and released, and "Pavelow" when someone destroys it.
 * The pilots of the Pave Low in single player are blocky with pixel-like faces which look like pilots from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
 * Pave Lows of the Spetsnaz, Militia, and OpFor have a jet black color, while Pave Lows of the SEALS, Rangers, and TF141 have a light gray color with USAF markings.
 * If one is spectating in free mode, they can see inside it. Also, they can see that the Pave Low's guns have no gunners on them.
 * The Pave Low seems to be solid, as it'll stop when it hits the building containing Site B in Skidrow and will bounce off.
 * Calling in a Care Package on top of a Pave Low will destroy it.
 * It is odd how the Pave Low appears in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 even though it retired in 2008.
 * The Pave Low can be seen in the Vehicles section of the "Museum".