Bell AH-1W Super Cobra

The AH-1W Super Cobra is a two-place, twin-engine, day/night marginal weather Marine Corps attack helicopter that provides en route escort for assault helicopters and their embarked forces. It had been the only western attack helicopter with a proven air-to-air and anti-radar missile capability. The primary mission of the AH-1W aircraft is as an armed tactical helicopter capable of helo close air support, low altitude and high speed flight, target search and acquisition, reconnaissance by fire, multiple weapons fire support, troop helicopter support, and point target attack of threatening armor. The AH-1W provides fire support and fire support coordination to the landing force during amphibious assaults and subsequent operations ashore.

Description
In early 1962, a committee of the Army (U.S. Army) issued a report which was the first approval for the use of armed escort helicopters in the modern warfare. In 1965, the urgent need for an attack helicopter to be used in Vietnam War, Led the U.S. Army announced the specifications for your Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS system, forward air fire support). Was chosen as provisional aircraft model 209, Bell Textron, with a narrow and slender, with a crew of two men. This had only a turbine T-53-L-11 1115 hp and used many components of robust UH-1 Iroquois, being called Cobra AH-1G, of which 1,200 units were manufactured. Came the post-Vietnam version AH-1Q, using TOW anti-tank missiles to confront the Soviet armored threat in Europe. The U.S. Marine Corps soon became interested in the Cobra, but opted for the twin-engine version, the AH-1J. The current version AH-1W Super Cobra owes its origins to a proposed study to an Iranian aviation unit called upgraded AH-1T, in which the turbines were replaced by the T53 turbine T-700-GE-401, 1660 hp. Thanks to these more powerful engines, the Super Cobra has better thrust / weight ratio than any helicopter in its class. The main rotor with two blades of 14.6 m, with the use of composite materials in its manufacturing, provides great support to the AH-1W. The two crew members, pilot and gunner in the rear seat forward, holding a comfortable cockpit, in tandem with HUD and high-tech avionics compatible with night vision goggles in a cockpit completely shielded.

The standard Super Cobra armament consists of a 20 mm gun M-197, with 750 missiles, mounted on a tower under the bow. The AH-1W can carry 998 kg of weapons, including anti-tank missiles BGM-71 TOW or Hellfire AGM-114, XM-18 Minigun, Hydra rocket pods for 19 to 70 mm, in four brackets Subal, air-air missiles AIM -9L Sidewinder and AGM-anti-radar 122nd Sidearm. The weapon system, optimized for night fighting, allows the gun and the missile be linked to viewers mounted on the helmets of the crew members or appointed by means of thermal imaging viewers NSTF-65. The navigation system is the Teledyne AN/APN-217 Doppler. Countermeasures are dependent on the radar warning receiver (RWR) AN/APR-44 model, releasing the chaff / flare and a AN/ALE-39 jameador AN/ALQ-144 IR. First tested in combat during Operation Desert Storm in Gulf War 1991, where they were sent squads HMLA-169 "Vipers", HMLA-269 "gunrunners, HMLA-367" Scarface "and HMLA-369" Gunfighters, "the AH-1W Super Cobra proved that the Marines and industry Bell were conceived, designed, constructed and put into action a winner. These helicopters were highlighted in heavy fighting around the city of Khafji and supporting the forefront of Marines in the offensive at the resumption of Al Jaber airport, where they destroyed 60 Iraqi tanks. In 1992 the AH-1W also gave support to American troops and UN forces during the intervention in Somalia and in Bosnia in 1995 acted in support of the C-SAR operations. The AH-1 Cobra was exported to Japan, South Korea, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Iran, Thailand and Turkey, with the latter two units also acquired some version of the AH-1W. First attack helicopter the world, the versatile AH-1 Cobra has worked continuously for over thirty years, with such efficiency that any adversary who decides to confront him should think twice before doing so

Users

 * U.S.
 * Israel
 * Turkey
 * South Korea
 * Jordan
 * Taiwan
 * Pakistan
 * Japan 
 * Thailand

Variants

 * AH-1E Enhanced Cobra was identical to the Upgunned AH-1S (ECAS), the M65 TOW/Cobra missile system with the M97A3 armament subsystem. The AH-1E could use the M130 flare and chaff dispenser. The AH-1E could be identified by the tapered tips on the fiberglass main rotor blades. The AH-1E is 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 Modernized Cobra. The AH-1F Modernized Cobra is identical to the AH-1S Modernized Cobra, the M65 TOW/Cobra missile system and the M147 Rocket Management System with the M97A4 armament subsystem. The AH-1F also uses the M130 flare and chaff dispenser. Some AH-1F Cobras have received the C-NITE upgrade, which allows the gunner to designate and acquire targets during night or adverse operating conditions. The AH-1F can be identified by the air data sensor mounted above the right side of the canopy.
 * AH-1G. Initial production model in 1966
 * AH-1P Production Cobra was identical to the new Production AH-1S, the M65 TOW/Cobra missile system with the M28A3 armament subsystem. The AH-1P could use the M130 flare and chaff dispenser. The AH-1P could be identified by the flat panel canopy. AH-1P is a set of AH-1S aircraft fitted with composite rotors, flat plate glass cockpits, and NVG capabilities.
 * AH-1S. Upgraded 1960s produced aircraft in late 1980s to the standard TOW carrying version.