United States Marine Corps Weapons & Equipment
AH-1W Super Cobra Helicopter
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 (limited to 10,000 feet (3050 kilometers)
by oxygen requirements)
Crew: 2 officers
Armament: One 20MM turreted cannon 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: 1986
Unit 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 is a two-place, tandem-seat, twin-engine
helicopter capable of land- or sea-based operations. 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 curretnly
being outfitted with a Night Targeting System/Forward Looking Infrared Radar that provides laser rangefinding/designating
and camera capabilities.
Inventory: 147
Background: 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. The deployment required no additional
augmentation to squadron support personnel and only one Bell Helicopter technical representative.
Information and Photos Courtesy of United States Marine Corps
