AH-1S COBRA (BELL)

Gary's Combat Aircraft Reference Guide

Country of Origin: USA.
Similar Aircraft: Mi-24 Hind, Mangusta A129, AH-64 Apache.
Crew: Two.
Role: Attack helicopter.
Armament: Cannon, grenade launcher, rockets, missiles, TOW missiles.
Dimensions: Length: 44 ft, 7 in (13.6 m). Rotor diameter: 44 ft (13.42 m).

The AH-1 Cobra is a single-engine, tandem-seat, two-bladed attack helicopter. Its crew consists of two rated aviators. The pilot occupies the rear cockpit and the copilot-gunner occupies the front cockpit. The AH-1 is essentially a daytime weapons platform due to the inability to fire and track the TOW missile at night. Some Cobras have been modified with a terminal night sight called C-NITE (Cobra night). This system allows the gunner to thermally track the TOW missile at night through the TSU (telescopic sight unit).

Wings: Large, dual-blade main rotor. Weapon-carrying wings are mid-mounted, short, and stubby.

Engine(s): One turboshaft mounted on top of the body forming a hump-like appearance. Single exhaust.

Fuselage: Thin, oval body with a short, pointed nose. Stepped, flat-plated canopy and tapered rear section. Low-mounted, tubular tail boom.

Tail: Small flats are mid-mounted, swept-back, tapered, blunt-tipped, and forward of the fin. Swept-back fin is tapered. Rotor on the right.

Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, USA.