Bell AH-1 SuperCobra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_AH-1_SuperCobra

The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the United
States Army's single-engine AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family, itself part of
the larger Huey family, includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved
SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra. The AH-1W, the backbone of the United States
Marine Corps's attack helicopter fleet for decades, is being replaced by the
next generation Bell AH-1Z Viper.

The AH-1 Cobra was developed in the mid-1960s as an interim gunship for the U.S.
Army for use during the Vietnam War. The Cobra shared the proven transmission,
rotor system, and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 "Huey". By June 1967,
the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the
U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million
operational hours in Vietnam.

The U.S. Marine Corps was very interested in the AH-1G Cobra, but it preferred a
twin-engine version for improved safety in over-water operations, and also
wanted a more potent turret-mounted weapon. At first, the Department of Defense
had balked at providing the Marines with a twin-engine version of the Cobra, in
the belief that commonality with Army AH-1Gs outweighed the advantages of a
different engine fit. However, the Marines won out and awarded Bell a contract
for 49 twin-engine AH-1J SeaCobras in May 1968. As an interim measure, the U.S.
Army passed on 38 AH-1Gs to the Marines in 1969. The AH-1J also received a more
powerful gun turret. It featured a three barrel 20 mm XM197 cannon that was
based on the six barrel M61 Vulcan cannon.

The Marine Corps requested greater load carrying capability in high temperatures
for the Cobra in the 1970s. Bell used systems from its Model 309 to develop the
AH-1T. This version had a lengthened tailboom and fuselage with an upgraded
transmission and engines from the 309. Bell designed the AH-1T to be more
reliable and easier to maintain in the field. The version was given full TOW
missile capability with targeting system and other sensors. An advanced version,
known as the AH-1T+ with more powerful T700-GE-700 engines and advanced avionics
was proposed to Iran in the late 1970s, but the overthrow of the Shah of Iran
resulted in the sale being canceled.

In the early 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps sought a new navalized helicopter, but
it was denied funding to buy the AH-64 Apache by Congress in 1981. The Marines
in turn pursued a more powerful version of the AH-1T. Other changes included
modified fire control systems to carry and fire AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-114
Hellfire missiles. The new version was funded by Congress and received the AH-1W
designation. Deliveries of AH-1W SuperCobras totaled 179 new-built helicopters
plus 43 upgrades of AH-1Ts.

The AH-1T+ demonstrator and AH-1W prototype were later tested with a new
experimental composite four-blade main rotor system. The new system offered
better performance, reduced noise and improved battle damage tolerance. Lacking
a USMC contract, Bell developed this new design into the AH-1Z with its own
funds. By 1996, the Marines were again not allowed to order the AH-64.
Developing a marine version of the Apache would have been expensive and it was
likely that the Marine Corps would be its only customer. They instead signed a
contract for upgrading AH-1Ws into AH-1Zs.

The Bell AH-1Z Viper features several design changes. The AH-1Z's two redesigned
wing stubs are longer with each adding a wingtip station for a missile such as
the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Each wing has two other stations for 70 mm (2.75 in) Hydra
rocket pods, or AGM-114 Hellfire quad missile launcher. The Longbow radar can be
mounted on a wingtip station. The AH-1W version will be phased out of the Marine
Corps by 2020.


Role
Attack helicopter

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Bell Helicopter

First flight
AH-1J: 1969

Introduction
AH-1J: 1971, AH-1W: 1986

Status
In service

Primary users
United States Marine Corps
Islamic Republic of Iran Army
Republic of China Army
Turkish Army

Produced
AH-1J/T/W: 1970–1980s

Number built
1,271+

Unit cost

AH-1W: US$10.7 million


Developed from
Bell AH-1 Cobra

Variants
Bell AH-1Z Viper
Bell YAH-63/Bell 409
Panha 2091
IAIO Toufan

During the closing months of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War,
the Marine Corps embarked the AH-1J SeaCobra assigned to HMA-369 (now HMLA-369)
aboard Denver, Cleveland, and later Dubuque, for sea-based interdiction of the
Ho Chi Minh Trail in North Vietnam in the vicinity of Hon La (Tiger) Island.
These were termed Marine Hunter-Killer (MARHUK) Operations and lasted from June
to December 1972.

Marine Cobras took part in the invasion of Grenada, during Operation Urgent Fury
in 1983, flying close-support and helicopter escort missions. Two Marine AH-1Ts
were shot down and three crew members killed. The Marines also deployed the AH-1
off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon in 1983, during that nation's civil war. The
AH-1s were armed with Sidewinder missiles and guns as an emergency air defense
measure against the threat of light civil aircraft employed by suicide bombers.

The AH-1W variant entered service with the USMC in 1985 and 1986.

USMC Cobras provided escort in the Persian Gulf in the late 1980s while the
Iran–Iraq War was ongoing. The Cobras sank three Iranian patrol boats while
losing one AH-1T to Iranian anti-aircraft fire. USMC Cobras from Saipan flew
"top cover" during an evacuation of U.S. and other foreign citizens from Liberia
in 1990.

During the Gulf War, 78 Marine SuperCobras deployed, and flew a total of 1,273
sorties in Iraq with no combat losses. However, three AH-1s were lost to
accidents during and after the combat operations. The AH-1W units were credited
with destroying 97 tanks, 104 armored personnel carriers and vehicles, and two
anti-aircraft artillery sites during the 100-hour ground campaign.

Marine Cobras provided support for the U.S. humanitarian intervention in
Somalia, during Operation Restore Hope in 1992–93. They were also employed
during the U.S. invasion of Haiti in 1994. USMC Cobras were used in U.S.
military interventions in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and two AH-1Ws
assisted in the rescue of USAF Captain Scott O'Grady, after his F-16 was shot
down by a SAM in June 1995.

AH-1 Cobras continue to operate with the U.S. Marine Corps. USMC Cobras were
also used in operations throughout the 1990s. USMC Cobras have also served in
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the
conflict in Iraq. While new replacement aircraft were considered as an
alternative to major upgrades of the AH-1 fleet, Marine Corps studies showed
that an upgrade was the most affordable, most supportable and most effective
solution for the Marine Corps light attack helicopter mission.

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, 46 of 58 USMC Cobras took battle damage,
mostly from infantry-type weapons.

On 19 September 2011, a USMC AH-1W crashed during training exercises at Camp
Pendleton, California, killing the two crewmen on board. An investigation into
the crash determined that it was caused by bird strike. The aircraft collided
with a red-tailed hawk, the impact damaging the pitch change link which in turn
produced vibrations to the rotors so fierce that they caused the transmission
and rotors to break off from the helicopter body.

In late August 2016, Marine AH-1W Cobras flying from USS Wasp started flying
combat missions over Sirte, Libya against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant in Libya, providing close air support for friendly militias on the
ground. In the later stages of the operation, AH-1Ws flew combat missions from
the deck of USS San Antonio after that ship replaced Wasp in October 2016.

AH-1W SuperCobra

General characteristics
Crew: 2: pilot, co-pilot/gunner (CPG)
Length: 58 ft (17.7 m) (with both rotors turning)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft (14.6 m)
Height: 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m)
Disc area: 1809 ft² (168.1 m²)
Empty weight: 10,200 lb (4,630 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 14,750 lb (6,690 kg)
Rotor systems: 2 blades on main rotor, 2 blades on tail rotor
Fuselage length: 45 ft 7 in (13.9 m)
Stub wing span: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-401 turboshaft, 1,690 shp (1,300 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 190 knots (218 mph, 352 km/h)
Range: 317 nmi (365 mi, 587 km)
Service ceiling: 12,200 ft (3,720 m)
Rate of climb: 1,620 ft/min (8.2 m/s)

Armament

20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in the A/A49E-7 turret (750
rounds ammo capacity)
2.75 in (70 mm) Hydra 70 or APKWS II rockets – Mounted in LAU-68C/A (7 shot) or
LAU-61D/A (19 shot) launchers
5 in (127 mm) Zuni rockets – 8 rockets in two 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers
TOW missiles – Up to 8 missiles mounted in two 4-round XM65 missile launchers,
one on each outboard hardpoint
AGM-114 Hellfire missiles – Up to 8 missiles mounted in two 4-round M272 missile
launchers, one on each outboard hardpoint
AIM-9 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles – 1 mounted on each outboard hardpoint
(total of 2)




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