The Bell AH-1 SeaCobra became a USMC derivative of the original U.S. Army AH-1 HueyCobra attack helicopter with changes implemented to suit the service.
In the latter part of the 1960s, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) had enough interest in the new U.S. Army attack helicopter - the single-engine, two-seat Bell AH-1 "HueyCobra" - that it commissioned for a more capable twin-engine version for maritime use. The Army's AH-1G model was selected as the starting point with the most prominent change being 2 x PT6T-3 turboshafts coupled to a combining transmission system for 1,800 total shaft horsepower. The engine pairing was collectively recognized as the "Turbo Twin-Pac" and formally designated the Pratt & Whitney Canada T400-CP-400). Additional changes lay in the chin armament which added a 20mm three-barreled Gatling-style cannon in a General Electric M97 turret while, by and large, the helicopter remained faithful to the original U.S. Army offering.
The U.S. Army's AH-1 itself held origins in the famous Bell UH-1 "Huey" series transport helicopter to which the AH-1 borrowed much from the earlier Bell product though extensively modified for the dedicated attack role. The attack helicopter was used as a replacement for the several make-shift gunships in service with American forces during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The USMC variant of the AH-1G was specifically modified to include the dual-engine layout for increased survivability, particularly in the maritime (over-water) environment that the service's helicopters were expected to operate in. The branch ordered the AH-1J through a batch of 49 helicopters in 1968.
The powerplant drove a two-blade main rotor and two-blade tail rotor, the latter set to the starboard side of the tail fin and driven by a shaft housed in the tail boom. The fuselage retained the same slim head-on profile as the AH-1G and seated its crew of two in a standard tandem arrangement - the pilot at the rear and the weapons officer/co-pilot in front. Performance included a never-exceed-speed of 220 miles per hour, a maximum speed of 175 miles per hour, a range out to 560 miles, a service ceiling up to 10,500 feet, and a rate-of-climb of 1,090 feet per minute.
The USMC introduced their "SeaCobra" during September of 1970 and first actions centered around the American involvement in Vietnam in the coastal "hunter-killer" role. The helicopters were primarily armed through multi-shot rocket pods slung under their wingstubs which held two hardpoints apiece. The AH-1J SeaCobra was then offered in an export guise as the AH-1J "International" of which Iran became an operator of.
In 1974, a new version was ordered as the AH-1T "Improved SeaCobra". This model incorporated a new main rotor (from the Bell Model 214), upgraded gearbox, and lengthened fuselage and tailboom. The mark also included support for the Hughes BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile but the weight added by the changes led to a decrease in performance. This forced Bell to offer 2 x General Electric T700-GE-401 turboshaft engines in 1980 and this, with other modifications including broadened weapons support (Hellfire ATGM, AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM) and day/night capabilities, led to the modernized AH-1W "SuperCobra" (the "Whiskey Cobra") mark. The AH-1W itself came to life as a re-engined AH-1T intended for sale to Iran.
The AH-1J was ultimately supplanted in USMC service by the AH-1W. Twin-engined Cobras saw combat service during the 1991 Gulf War in the tank-killing role as well as the American-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq during the 2000s. While the AH-1W remains the standard attack helicopter for the USMC, it is being replaced by the incoming AH-1Z "Viper" mark ("Zulu Cobra") as of this writing (2014) bringing with it improved avionics, uprated engines, and a four-blade main rotor among other changes.
Specifications
Year: 1970
Status Active, Limited Service
Crew 2
Production 251 Units
Bell Helicopter Textron - USA
Iran; United States
- Ground Attack
- Close-Air Support (CAS)
- Navy / Maritime
Length:
53.35 ft (16.26 m)
Width:
43.96 ft (13.4 m)
Height:
13.71 ft (4.18 m)
Empty Weight:
6,614 lb (3,000 kg)
MTOW:
10,009 lb (4,540 kg)
(Diff: +3,395lb)
(Showcased weight values pertain to the Bell AH-1J SeaCobra production model)
1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 "Twin-Pac", limited to 1,530shp) turboshaft engine developing 1,800 shaft horsepower to two-bladed main rotor and two-bladed tail rotor.
Max Speed:
175 mph (282 kph; 152 kts)
Service Ceiling:
10,548 feet (3,215 m; 2 miles)
Max Range:
357 miles (575 km; 310 nm)
Rate-of-Climb:
1,090 ft/min (332 m/min)
(Showcased performance values pertain to the Bell AH-1J SeaCobra production model; Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database)
STANDARD:
1 x 20mm M197 triple-barrel Gatling-style gun in General Electric electric-powered chin turret.
(Showcased armament details pertain to the Bell AH-1J SeaCobra production model)
AH-1J "SeaCobra" - Base Series Designation; based on the U.S. Army AH-1G airframe; service entry in 1970.
AH-1J "International" - Export model of the AH-1J
AH-1T "Improved SeaCobra" - New main rotor; upgraded gearbox; lengthened fuselage and tailboom; BGM-71A TOW AT missile support.
* Ribbons not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns/operations.
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Iran; United States
