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A high-tech military helicopter was used on various missions, such as stopping a traitor from giving a military fighter to the Russians in the 1980's television show, Airwolf. The show often involved Cold War themes, such as the Russians developing a serum that can kill people instantly, an Israeli war criminal who was killed by a Nazi, the rescue of political prisoners held in Cuba and stopping nuclear meltdown in the Soviet Union.

The first three seasons stared Ernest Borgnine as Dominic Santini, the owner of Santini Air, Jan-Michael Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, a captain in the United States Army, and Deborah Pratt, during season one, who was the go-to person for Michael Coldsmith Briggs III, whose codename as Archangel and was the Director of The Firm, which was operated by the CIA. Jean Bruce Scott played Caitlin O'Shannessy, a former helicopter pilot in the Texas Highway Patrol starting in season two.

The show was on CBS for three seasons. After cancellation by the network, it was filmed for a fourth and final season by the USA network with a different cast.

The fourth season stared Barry Van Dyke, as Saint John Hawke, a reserve major in the United States army and the brother of Stringfellow Hawke, Geraint Wyn Davies as United States Air Force Major Mike Rivers, Michele Scarabelli, as Jo Santini, who inherited Santini Air after her uncle Dominic died, Anthony Sherwood, as Jason Locke a CIA agent and William B. Davis, as Newman, Locke's boss.

Stringfellow Hawke was a loner who lived in the mountains outside Los Angeles. The recluse had a coonhound,"Tet", and spent his time enjoying the priceless paintings he received in an inheritance from his grandfather, singing to eagles, enjoying the other wildlife, and playing his Stradivarius cello. Dominic Santini was his only friend. Dominic had flown with Stringfellow's father in World War II.

Hawke had been a test pilot for the supersonic Airwolf which was built by the FIRM, which was a division of the CIA. After the helicopter was stolen by Dr. Charles Henry Moffet, who had created it, Hawke was asked to go to Libya to retrieve it. He then became involved in numerous missions designed to protect the United States from its enemies, foreign and domestic.

Airwolf was actually a Bell 22 helicopter. In the show, it had sophisticated computer equipment on board, as well as a powerful military arsenal.