It can provide fire support and fire support coordination to the landing force during amphibious assaults and subsequent operations ashore.
The AH-1W is operated in eight composite HMLA squadrons composed of 18 AH-1 and 9 UH-1 aircraft.
The super cobra (AH-1W) is currently being outfitted with a Night Targeting System/Forward Looking Infrared Radar that provides laser rangefinding/designating and camera capabilities.
The Marine Corps deployed 4 of 6 active force squadrons (48 AH-1Ws) to Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
These helicopters destroyed 97 tanks, 104 armored personnel carriers and vehicles, 16 bunkers and 2 antiaircraft artillery sites without the loss of any aircraft.
Most older Cobra variants still in operation have been upgraded to the AH-1F standard.
AH-1G: Initial production model in 1966
AH-1S: Upgraded 1960s produced aircraft in late 1980s to the standard TOW carry-ing version.
AH-1P: A set of AH-1S aircraft fitted with composite rotors, flat plate glass cockpits, and NVG capabilities.
AH-1E: A set of AH-1S aircraft upgraded with the Enhanced Cobra Armament System incorporating the universal turret, 20-mm gun, automatic compensation for off-axis gun firing, and weapon management system.
AH-1F: Current standard Cobra. Also referred to as the ?Modernized Cobra?. Incorporated all past upgrades.
The first flight of the AH-1Z took place in December 2000 and the flight test program should be completed by summer 2003. Deliveries to the USMC will begin in 2004. The improvement in flight characteristics provided by the four-bladed configuration has led to increases in flight envelope, maximum speed, vertical rate-of-climb, payload and rotor vibration level.The AH-1Z will bet a better loger range target sight system (TSS). This new system is manufactured by Lockheed Martin and is called the 'Hawkeye'. It also includes a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed camera).
Longbow International (a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman) will build a Radar System for the AH-1Z, based on the AH-64 D Apache Longbow radar. It will not be mounted above the rotor blades like on the AH-64D, but the AH-1Z Cobra Radar system will be a pod-based radar that can be mounted on a wingtip or in a stores position.
The radar system will automatically search, detect, classify and prioritise multiple moving and stationary targets, just like the Apache Longbow!
The AH-1 uses Two General Electric T700-GE-401 engines, which produce a total of 2,410kW or 3,380shp.
Compared to it's size and weight, the engines are quite powerful for the AH-1 attack helicopter, on one engine the SuperCobra can take off and climb at 4.1 m/s, with ordinance and fuel.
Armament:
Recent developments:
Mar. 2nd, 2006 | AH-1Z/UH-1Y Complete Developmental TestingNAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, MD --- The H-1 Upgrades Program, which is replacing aging Marine Corps UH-1N and AH-1W aircraft with upgraded and 84-percent identical UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft, completed developmental testing Feb. 17.
Currently, the program is preparing to enter Operational Evaluation as well as to start a third Low-Rate Initial Production lot.
Two of the five developmental test aircraft have already been transferred to the operational test squadron and are being used to train...
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Aug. 1st, 2005 | Bell Helicopter gets $2.2 Billion Army contract
(Fort Worth, TX., July 29, 2005)--Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc., (NYSE: TXT) was awarded a $2.2 billion contract by the United States Army to build its next generation Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter, or ARH. The ARH will replace the Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Helicopter also produced by Bell. The contract calls for Bell Helicopter to build 368 aircraft for delivery during fiscal years 2006 through 2013.
"We are honored to have been chosen by the U.S. Army to continue our legacy of...
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| Primary function: | Attack helicopter | Manufacturer: | Bell Helicopter Textron. |
Power plant: | Two General Electric T700-GE-401 engines. |
Thrust: |
Full: | 2082 shaft horsepower for 30 minutes (transmission limited) |
Continuous: | 1775 shaft horsepower. |
Length: | 58 feet (17.67 meters). |
Height: | 13.7 feet (4.17 meters). |
Rotor Diameter: | 48 feet (14.62 meters). |
Speed: | 147 knots (169.05 miles per hour) in basic combat attack configuration. |
Maximum takeoff weight: | 14,750 pounds (6,696.50 kilograms). |
Range: | 256 nautical miles (294.4 miles) in basic combat attack configuration. |
Ceiling: | 18,700 feet (5703.5 meters) in basic combat attack configuration | Crew: | 2 officers. |
Unit Cost: | $10,700,000. |
AH-1 Cobra Videos | 162 Videos Available!
First 5 videos, click to go to the AH-1 Cobra video gallery:
This page was last updated on: 2006-02-01
