AH-1
HueyCobra

• 8 Precision Guided Missiles (PGM's), either Hellfires, TOW's, or a combination of the two, on two PGM stations
• 2.75" or 5.00" Folding fin aerial rockets (FFAR)
• Sidearm Anti-Radiation Missile
• Sidewinder air-to-air, heat-seaking missile (takes up one PGM station)
• 20mm Cannon capable of firing semi-armor piercing rounds at a rate of 650 rounds per minute, 750 round magazine.
• Laser Designator and Range Finder
  • Capable of lasing under three different codes, which can be set inside the cockpit both both PGMs and Laser Guided Bombs.
  • Also capable to get a 10-digit mapgrid by lasing a target.
• Internal GPS/INS
• ARC-210 Radios with Havquick and SINCGARS
• Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), TV Camera, and direct view optics
• ALE-39, ALQ-144(IR Jammer), APR-39, and APR-44
• Video Camera Recorder (VCR)

1. Offensive Air Support (OAS)
   1. Deep Air Support (DAS)
   2. Close Air Support (CAS)
   3. Strike Coordination and Reconnaissance (SCAR)
2. Escort
   1. Surface Escort
   2. Assault Escort
3. Forward Air Controller (Airborne)
   1. Call for fire
4. Armed Reconnaissance

At least some of the information you give is not correct for the AH-1S (of which there were a number of different models: AH-1S(Mod), AH-1S(Prod), AH-1S(ECAS) and AH-1S(Modernized)) but appear to refer to one of the USMC models since it refers to twin GE engines. None of the S models ever had either GE engines or twin engines of either type. The only twin-engined Snakes were in the USMC and I don't believe they ever used the S model in any of it's forms, only the J, W, and Z models, as far as I remember. But I certainly may be wrong on that as I flew for the Army and not the Marines. One thing on the AH-1S(Mod) version is that it was different from the other S models. The S(Mod) was a converted Q model, which was a converted G model and had the rounded canopy while the Prod, ECAS, and Modernized all had flat-plate canopies. If I remember correctly, all Q models were field conversions while the others were converted at the Bell plant in Fort Worth, Texas. I may be wrong on that, however. There is one other model, the AH-1R, of which not much is widely known, due in part to the fact that there were only 2 were ever produced. From what I remember, they were used as test beds for an upgraded power train for the Cobra. Again going strictly on memory, I believe these were converted from G models at Fort Hood, Texas and may never have left that post. I suspect, however, that they were probably sent to the Bell plant at Fort Worth soon after the conversions to the Prod model were started. I don't know if any of the Army models ever progressed to having either a GPS or an INS system, although I would doubt it. I suspect that while the USMC models may have had them, the only thing I believe any of the S models had was the AN/ASN-128 Doppler Nav system. The wiring was in the a/c for a VOR system, but I only remember seeing one or possibly two a/c that actually had a VOR receiver in them. Mostly it was just ADF, but we always had high hopes for maybe, one day... <sigh> As an additional bit of information, the AH-1S(Modernized) were also later referred to as the AH-1F (for Fully Modernized). I don't know if that ever was "official" or not, but I do remember seeing that nomenclature used in the biweekly safety reports that came out of Fort Rucker. It's the only instance I've ever come across or heard about of a model number regressing to an earlier, skipped letter! <g> Of course, the Snake is also the only a/c I've ever heard of that progressed all the way up the alphabet to have a Z model also, so that may be another "record" that it has!"

Last Cobra Flight in Hawaii and Active Army Press Release from Major Edward S. Loomis, Media Relations Officer, 25th ID & U.S. Army Hawaii Telephone 808-655-8729, Fax 808-655-9290, DSN 455-XXXX

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The last flight by AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters by an active duty Army unit was Monday March 15, 1999, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

This final mission by crews assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment (Attack), 25th Infantry Division (Light), will begin and end at a unit ceremony at Wheeler Army Airfield, pass over the USS Missouri and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, the Leeward coast and Kole Kole Pass. Unit members begin turn-in of their aircraft the following day to prepare for the battalion's draw of new OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters.

First developed in 1965 and fielded in 1967, the Cobra was the U.S. Army's first attack helicopter designed for that mission, and has deployed for nearly every U.S. combat operation from Vietnam to today. The Cobra was the first U.S. military helicopter specifically designed for ground attack, and is equipped with armament that includes a 20-millimeter cannon, tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) missiles, and 2.75-inch rockets. Its two-soldier crew consists of a pilot and co-pilot/gunner.

The Tropic Lightning Division's remaining Cobras will be replaced by OH-58D Kiowa Warriors, aircraft equipped with improved optical sights, a laser designator, Hellfire missiles, a .50-caliber machine gun and 2.75-inch rockets. 1st Battalion will field Kiowa Warriors on the Mainland and return to Oahu in May 2000.

The formation Monday will consist of eight Cobras, four Kiowas, and one UH-1H Iroquois ("Huey").


Click on a picture below to download a wallpaper-sized picture.
AH1-10 is actually freehand art by Michael Leahy at popasmoke.com.