AH-1W Super Cobra
— -- The AH-1W Super Cobra is a Marine Corps attack helicopter capable of land- and sea-based operations. The Marine Corps deployed 4 squadrons of 48 Cobras during Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, where they destroyed 97 tanks, 104 armored personnel carriers, 16 bunkers, and 2 antiaircraft artillery sites without the loss of any aircraft.
Primary function: Attack helicopterManufacturer: Bell Helicopter TextronPower plant: Two General Electric T700-GE-401 enginesThrust: Full: 2082 shaft horsepower for 30 minutes (transmission limited), Continuous: 1775 shaft horsepowerLength: 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 configurationMaximum takeoff weight: 14,750 pounds (6,696.50 kilograms)Range: 256 nautical miles (294.4 miles) in basic combat attack configurationCeiling: 18,700 feet (5703.5 meters) in basic combat attack configuration (limited to 10,000 feet (3050 kilometers) by oxygen requirements)Crew: 2 officersArmament: One 20mm turreted Gatling gun with 750 rounds; four external wing stations that can fire 2.75"/5.0" rockets and a wide variety of precision guided missiles, to include TOW/Hellfire (point target/anti-armor), Sidewinder (anti-air) Sidearm (anti-radar).Introduction date: 1986Unit Replacement Cost: $10,700,000
Mission: Fire support and security for forward and rear area forces, point target/anti-armor, anti-helicopter, armed escort, supporting arms control and coordination, point and limited area air defense from enemy fixed-wing aircraft, armed and visual reconnaissance.
Features: The AH-1W Super Cobra is a day/night marginal weather Marine Corps attack helicopter that provides enroute escort for our assault helicopters and their embarked forces. The AH-1W provides 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 AH-1W is currently being outfitted with a Night Targeting System/Forward Looking Infrared Radar that provides laser rangefinding/designating and camera capabilities.
