Bell AH-1 Cobra

The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter. A member of the prolific Huey family, the AH-1 is also referred to as the HueyCobra or Snake.

The AH-1 was rapidly developed as an interim gunship in response to the United States Army's needs in the Vietnam War. It used the same engine, transmission and rotor system as the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, which had already proven itself to be a capable platform during the conflict, but paired it with a redesigned narrow fuselage among other features. The original AH-1, being a dedicated attack helicopter, came equipped with stub wings for various weapons, a chin-mounted gun turret, and an armored tandem cockpit, from which it was operated by a pilot and gunner. Its design was shaped to fulfill a need for a dedicated armed escort for transport helicopters, giving the latter greater survivability in contested environments. On 7 September 1965, the Model 209 prototype performed its maiden flight; after rapidly gaining the support of various senior officials, quantity production of the type proceeded rapidly with little revision.

During June 1967, the first examples of the AH-1 entered service with the US Army and were promptly deployed to the Vietnam theater. It commonly provided fire support to friendly ground forces, escorted transport helicopters, and flew in "hunter killer" teams by pairing with Hughes OH-6A Cayuse scout helicopters. In the Vietnam War alone, the Cobra fleet cumulatively chalked up in excess of one million operational hours; roughly 300 AH-1s were also lost in combat. In addition to the US Army, various other branches of the US military also opted to acquire the type, particularly the United States Marine Corps. Furthermore, numerous export sales were completed with several overseas countries, including Israel, Japan, and Turkey.

For several decades, the AH-1 formed the core of the US Army's attack helicopter fleet, seeing combat in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and the Gulf War. In US Army service, the Cobra was progressively replaced by the newer and more capable Boeing AH-64 Apache during the 1990s, with the final examples being withdrawn during 2001. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) operated the Cobra most prolifically along its land border with Lebanon, using its fleet intensively during the 1982 Lebanon War. Turkish AH-1s have seen regular combat with Kurdish insurgents near Turkey's southern borders. Upgraded versions of the Cobra have been developed, such as the twin-engined AH-1 SeaCobra/SuperCobra and the experimental Bell 309 KingCobra. Furthermore, surplus AH-1 helicopters have been repurposed for other uses, including civilian ones; numerous examples have been converted to perform aerial firefighting operations.

Development

Background

Closely related to the development of the Bell AH-1 is the story of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois transport helicopter—an icon of the Vietnam War and one of the most numerous helicopter types built. The UH-1 made the theory of air cavalry practical, as the new tactics called for US forces to be highly mobile across a wide area. Unlike before, they would not stand and fight long battles, and they would not stay and hold positions. Instead, the plan was that the troops carried by fleets of UH-1 "Hueys" would range across the country, to fight the enemy at times and places of their own choice.

The massive expansion of American military presence in Vietnam opened a new era of war from the air. The linchpin of US Army tactics was the helicopters, and the protection of those helicopters became a vital role. It became clear that unarmed troop helicopters were vulnerable against ground fire from Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops, particularly as they approached landing zones to disembark or embark troops. Without friendly support from artillery or ground forces, the only way to pacify a landing zone was from the air, preferably with an aircraft that could closely escort the transport helicopters, and loiter over the landing zone as the battle progressed. By 1962, a small number of armed UH-1As were used as escorts, armed with multiple machine guns and rocket mounts. However, these makeshift gunships came with considerable tradeoffs, particularly being barely able to keep up with the troop transports they were intended to protect.

While some officials within the Pentagon, particularly those within the US Army, had recognized the potential value of purpose-built armed rotary aircraft as early as 1962 and were keen to see such a vehicle developed promptly, the issue was complicated in part due to inter-service politics.

In June 1962, Bell displayed the mockup to US Army officials, hoping to solicit funding for further development; rival manufacturers issued protests to this approach, alleging that it was an attempt by Bell to circumvent the competitive process.

The Army's solution to the shortcomings of the Sioux Scout was to launch the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) competition. particularly in its cockpit and tail boom; in broad visual terms, there was relatively little shared between the proposed design and the UH-1. Despite appearance, much of the Model 209's major elements, such as the tail rotor and much of the dynamic systems, were identical. Roughly 80 percent of its components already had existing Huey part numbers. By the end of the year, rapid follow-on orders had increased this to 500 Cobras. The Bell 209 demonstrator was used for the next six years to test weapons and fit of equipment. An additional use for the demonstrator was participating in marketing initiatives. The umbrella-shaped dive brake was deleted, having reportedly self-destructed during its first test flight. The AH-1 was the first U.S. Army helicopter not named for a Native American people since the practice began with the H-13 Sioux and continued with the UH-1 Iroquois, AH-56 Cheyenne, OH-58 Kiowa, and later helicopters.

Within its first decade of service, the US Army had put the original Cobra model through various exercises and operations, which highlighted both the attack helicopter's promise and areas in which it could be improved. By 1972, the US Army openly sought an improved anti-armor capability. Under the Improved Cobra Armament Program (ICAP), trials of eight AH-1s fitted with TOW missiles were conducted in October 1973. After passing qualification tests the following year, Bell was contracted with upgrading 101 AH-1Gs to the TOW-capable AH-1Q configuration. While early-production examples were not compatible with night vision goggles, the cockpit instrumentation of later Cobras was altered to facilitate their use. A major feature was the adoption of a more powerful version of the T53 engine. Designated AH-1S, the Cobra was upgraded in three stages, culminating with the AH-1F. The AH-1F integrated numerous countermeasures, including an infrared jammer, a radar jammer, and a hot plume exhaust suppressor. During the early 1970s, the USMC proceeded to order an upgraded model, the AH-1T, which featured dynamic elements derived from the abortive Bell 309 KingCobra; as such, it featured a longer fuselage and tailboom. These dynamic changes were combined with the adoption of heavier armaments, which provided the USMC with an effective anti-armor capacity, unlike the preceding model. The USMC's interest in the Cobra would lead to the production of more twin-engine variants of the helicopter.

Design

thumb|An AH-1S Cobra, 1986

The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a dedicated attack helicopter, built to provide close air support and to escort friendly troop transports.

Operational history

United States

thumb|Bell AH-1G over Vietnam

By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Originally designated as UH-1H, the "A" for attack designation was soon adopted and when the improved UH-1D became the UH-1H, the HueyCobra became the AH-1G. The AH-1 was initially considered a variant of the H-1 line, resulting in the G series letter.

The first six AH-1s arrived at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam on 30 August 1967 for combat testing by the U.S. Army Cobra New Equipment Training Team. On 4 September, the type scored its first combat kill by sinking a sampan boat, killing four Viet Cong.

thumb|US Army AH-1G Cobra overview.

On 12 September 1968, Capt. Ronald Fogleman was flying an F-100 Super Sabre when the aircraft was shot down and he ejected north of Bien Hoa. Fogleman became the only pilot to be rescued by holding on to an Army AH-1G's deployed gun-panel door. 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; Out of nearly 1,110 AH-1s that were delivered between 1967 and 1973, approximately 300 were lost to a combination of combat and accidents during the conflict. During Operation Lam Son 719 in Southeastern Laos, 26 U.S Army AH-1Gs were destroyed while a further 158 sustained some level of damage.

The U.S. Marine Corps also operated the AH-1G Cobra in Vietnam for a short time before acquiring the twin-engine AH-1J Cobras.

During Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada in 1983, several Marine AH-1T SeaCobras and Army AH-1S Cobras were deployed to fly close air support and helicopter escort missions. On the first day of the invasion, two of the four AH-1Ts involved were lost to anti-aircraft fire in the attack on Fort Frederick.

thumb|Attack Helicopter Escort Tactics (1982) de-classified official [[USMC training film reel.]]

During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Gulf War (1990–91), both the Cobras and SuperCobras deployed in a support role. The USMC deployed 91 AH-1W SuperCobras while the US Army operated 140 AH-1 Cobras of various models in the theatre; these were typically operated from dispersed forward operating bases in close proximity to Saudi Arabia's border with Iraq. Three AH-1s were lost in accidents during fighting and afterward. Cobras successfully destroyed large numbers of Iraqi armored vehicles and various other targets during the intense fighting of the conflict.

US Cobras were deployed in further operations across the 1990s. Army Cobras provided support for the US humanitarian intervention during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993. They were also employed during the US invasion of Haiti in 1994. The withdrawn AH-1s were typically offered to other potential operators, usually NATO allies. The Army retired the AH-1 from its reserves in September 2001. The retired AH-1s were then disposed of, often through sales to overseas customers; the final portion of the fleet was liquidated in 2010. Some were also given to the USDA's Forest Service. The service named the type as the "Tzefa" (, for Viper).

On 9 May 1979, the IAF's Cobras performed their first attack, firing four Orev missiles at a house near Tyre, Lebanon, that was occupied by militants. having acquired a fleet of 42 by 2000. At the time of the Apache's procurement, there was considerable political controversy over the IAF's decision to overlook upgrades to its existing Cobra fleet in favour of acquiring an entirely separate model of attack helicopter.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Cobras continued to play a role in major operations against groups such as Hezbollah, including operations "Accountability" and "Grapes of Wrath", in southern Lebanon. Around the same time frame, the IAF also pursued upgrades to its AH-64 fleet. In late 2014, Israel transferred 16 of the recently withdrawn Cobras to the Royal Jordanian Air Force to bolster the numbers of their existing fleet.

Japan

thumb|[[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force AH-1S Cobra, April 2014]]

Japan manufactured 89 AH-1S Cobras under license by Fuji Heavy Industries from 1984 to 2000. They are used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and are Step 3 models, which are roughly the equivalent to the U.S. Army's AH-1Fs. The engine is the T53-K-703 turboshaft, which Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced under license.

In December 2022, the Japanese government decided to replace 47 AH-1S, 12 AH-64D, 33 OH-1, and 26 U-125A with unmanned aerial vehicles. Japan plans to increase its defense budget from 1.24% of GDP in fiscal 2021 to around 2.0% within 10 years and has decided to retire these helicopters and aircraft as part of an effort to spend its defense budget efficiently.

Jordan

thumb|Royal Jordanian Air Force AH-1F Cobra in May 2012, next to a USMC AH-1W Cobra

Jordan obtained an initial batch of 24 AH-1Fs during the late 1980s. In 2001, nine additional ex-US Army Cobras were acquired to supplement the fleet. During 2010, Jordan transferred 16 AH-1F helicopters to Pakistan under a US-sponsored support program that provided Islamabad with 40 AH-1 refurbished helicopters.

In late 2014, Israel and Jordan came to an agreement under which the former transferred 16 ex-IAF Cobras to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The deal was publicly stated to be for the purpose of increasing border security, which was viewed as a pressing concern of both nations due to the threats posed by Islamic State (IS) militants, as well as by other insurgent groups, at that time.

Turkey

Turkey bought ten AH-1Ws in the early 1990s, and supplemented them with 32 ex-US Army Cobras. These additional units included several TAH-1P trainers while the majority were brought up to the AH-1F standard. Amid the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, Turkish Cobras were alleged to have fired upon several police vehicles.

Pakistan

Between 1985 and 1986, Pakistan was supplied with an initial batch of 20 AH-1S gunships by the US (on 9 January 1985, the first batch of 10 AH-1F Cobra helicopters were delivered and in October 1986 the second batch of 10 AH-1F Cobra helicopters were delivered to Pakistan); these were later upgraded with the C-NITE thermal imaging package. Operated by Pakistan Army Aviation, the service first used Cobra overseas in Somalia during the United Nations Operation in Somalia II, where a single squadron was deployed in 1994. Pakistani Cobras subsequently saw action in Sierra Leone.

By 2013, Pakistan reportedly operated a fleet of 35 AH-1F helicopters. However, controversy over how much of this funding has actually been spent on Pakistan's Cobras has also been present throughout the 2010s. Turkey has also become a key supplier of spare parts for the Cobra, often free of cost, to Pakistan. During the 2010s, Pakistan lost a total of three aircraft in separate incidents.

Pakistan repeatedly sought the Bell AH-1W SuperCobra from the US to supplement and replace its current AH-1 Cobras. In November 2014, Russia approved the sale of Mi-35M helicopters to Pakistan. In April 2015, China delivered three Z-10s to Pakistan. During the same month, the US Department of State approved the sale of 15 AH-1Zs and associated equipment to Pakistan. During October 2017, the T129 was also reported to be a contender for further orders.

Philippines

thumb|[[Philippine Air Force Bell AH-1S]]

The Jordanian government offered to provide up to four surplus AH-1F/S Cobras to the Philippines for counter terrorism operations. The offer was later reduced to two units, which the Philippine government accepted. On 26 November 2019, an Antonov An-124 airlifter carried the two Bell AH-1S Cobras from Jordan to Clark International Airport/Clark Air Base. The helicopters are reportedly painted in a light grey livery similar to the paint scheme of the PAF's AgustaWestland AW109E armed helicopters. as well as other airstrikes against terrorist forces.

The AH-1S Cobras were retired from service on 28 December 2024 after a few years in service, as parts have become difficult to obtain.

Civilian operators

In 2003, the US Forest Service acquired 25 retired AH-1Fs from the US Army. The last two Firewatch Cobras were retired in October 2021.

The Florida Division of Forestry also acquired three AH-1Ps from the US Army. These are called Bell 209 "Firesnakes" and are equipped to carry a water/fire retardant system.

Variants

thumb|[[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force AH-1S]]

thumb|U.S. Forest Service Bell 209 on the Bar Complex Fire in [[California]]

thumb|upright|AH-1P front cockpit (restoration)

thumb|upright|AH-1P rear cockpit (restoration)

Single-engine

;Bell 209: Original AH-1G prototype with retractable skid landing gear. This model number is also used by the FAA for the civilian registration of former U.S. Army AH-1s used in firefighting service.

;AH-1G HueyCobra: Initial 1966 production model gunship for the U.S. Army, with one Avco Lycoming T53-13 turboshaft.

;JAH-1G HueyCobra: One helicopter for armament testing including Hellfire missiles and multi-barrel cannon.

;TH-1G HueyCobra: Two-seat dual-control trainer.

;YAH-1Q: Eight AH-1Gs with XM26 Telescopic Sight Unit (TSU) and two M56 TOW 4-pack launchers.

;AH-1P: 100 production aircraft with composite rotors, flat plate glass cockpit, and improved cockpit layout for nap-of-earth (NOE) flight. The AH-1P is also referred to as the "Production AH-1S", or "AH-1S(PROD)" prior to 1988. These improvements are considered Step 1 of the AH-1S upgrade program.

;AH-1F: 143 production aircraft and 387 converted AH-1G Cobras. The AH-1F incorporates all Step 1 and 2 upgrades to the AH-1S. It also featured Step 3 upgrades: a head-up display, a laser rangefinder, an infrared jammer mounted above the engine exhaust, and an infrared suppressing engine exhaust system, and the M143 Air Data Subsystem (ADS). The AH-1F is also referred to as the "Modernized AH-1S", "AH-1S Modernized Cobra", or "AH-1S(MC)" prior to 1988.

;Model 249: Experimental demonstrator version fitted with the four-blade rotor system from Bell 412, an uprated engine, and experimental equipment, including Hellfire missiles.

;Bell 309 KingCobra: Experimental all-weather version based on the AH-1G single-engine and AH-1J twin-engine designs. Two Bell 309s were produced; the first was powered by a PW&C T400-CP-400 Twin-Pac engine set and the second was powered by a Lycoming T55-L-7C engine.

; AH-1FB

: AH-1F modernized by Turkish Aerospace Industries for the Royal Bahraini Air Force.

Twin-engine

Operators

A small number of former military helicopters are operated by civil organizations for display and demonstration, for example by Red Bull.

thumb|[[Red Bull (Flying Bulls) TAH-1F at Berlin Tempelhof Airport]]

;

Royal Bahraini Air Force

;

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

;

Pakistan Army

Former operators

thumb|An Israeli AH-1F Cobra

;

Israeli Air Force

;

Philippine Air Force

;

Spanish Navy

;

Royal Thai Army

;

United States Army
Washington Department of Natural Resources
U.S. Forest Service
Florida Department of Forestry

Aircraft on display

Specifications (AH-1G HueyCobra)

right|400px

Notable appearances in media

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

AH-1 HueyCobra page on Rotorhead.org
AH-1 Cobra Photo Galleries on MidwaySailor.com
Cobras over the Frontier, by Usman Ansari.
End of an era for Fort Drum's Cobras.
Aircraft Training Manual, Attack Helicopter, AH-1 (TC 1-213), 1992