Bell AH-1 Cobra

The Bell AH-1 Cobra is an American military helicopter. It is an attack helicopter. It is made by Bell Helicopter company. It has one engine. Its first flight was on 7 September 1967. The United States Army don't use the AH-1 any more, and replaced it with the AH-64 Apache. The single-engine AH-1 Cobra is still active in some other countries like Israel and Iran. The United States Marine Corps still use the two-engine Bell AH-1 SuperCobra. The Cobra's weapons are:

• two 7.62 mm multi-barrel miniguns or two M129 Grenade launchers
• Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket
• M61 Vulcan

Operational History

Bell AH-1G over Vietnam

Israeli Air Force AH-1 Cobra

United States

• Tet Offensive in 1968 and through the end of the Vietnam War. In this war it was used for attacking enemy ground forces, escorting transport helicopters and other roles.
• Operation Urgent Fury, 1983 Invasion of Grenada. In this operation it was used for flying close-support and helicopter escort missions.
• Operation Just Cause, 1989 Invasion of Panama.
• Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Gulf War (1990–91).
• Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993.
• 1994 Invasion of Haiti.

Iran

• Iran-Iraq War

Israel

• The first combat mission of AH-1 Cobra in Israel was on 9 May 1979. From this time on it was used in many operations against the Lebanese anti-Israeli groups. One of its important operations was in 1982 Lebanon war.

Pakistan

• Balochistan conflict
• It was used in some operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda and the tribes, that helped them.