The AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter has been deployed with the 11th Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) stations at Camp Pendleton, California. The MEU consists of 3 U.S. Navy assault ships and one Landing Helicopter Dock assault carrier that are capable of being available for military or humanitarian operations. The MEU’s aircraft inventory consists of twelve (12) CH-46E Sea Knight and four (4) CH-53E Sea Stallion transport helicopters, three (3) UH-1Y utility helicopters, six (6) vertical landing jet fighters and four (4) AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopters.
The new Cobra Helicopter is more lethal than it’s predecessor, the AH-1W “Whiskey”. The AH-1Z helicopter carries twice the weaponry, longer flight times, can fly further, faster and quieter than previous versions of the Cobra helicopter. The newest upgrades on the AH-1Z are airframes rated for 10,000 flight hours, a new four-bladed rotor systems with semi-automatic blade fold capability, new composite rotor blades, upgraded main transmissions, four-bladed tail rotor systems, strengthened landing gear, and larger wing pylons with additional weapons stations.
Skip Robinson at VerticalMag.com wrote an excellent description of the new cockpit/avionics suite and weaponry, “The AH-1Z Zulu’s new-generation, fully integrated glass cockpit/avionics suite is designed to reduce workload and improve crew situational awareness and safety. A new nose-mounted turreted weapons control and targeting system — the electro-optical/infrared Target Sight System (TSS) from Lockheed Martin — has integrated state-of-the-art sensors, providing Cobra pilots with enhanced capabilities to acquire, track and designate targets. The system provides superb imagery through a stabilized sensor suite including a third-generation forward-looking infrared camera, color video display and a laser target designator and rangefinder. With TSS, Cobra pilots can now identify a threat from substantially longer standoff ranges, allowing them to accurately engage enemy forces with much improved combat survivability.
The new larger wings and pylons give a mission commander a wide range of weapons or fuel loads. Weapons carried include a selection of unguided rockets, Hellfire guided missiles and even wingtip-mounted Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. External fuel tanks can carried to increase the helicopters endurance during long-range missions."
It has taken over a decade of development to get the AH-1Z Cobra ready for deployment. The Super Cobra will be the MEU’s main rotory-wing attack aircraft. As one Zulu helicopter pilot said, “The Zulu is foremost tasked with direct air support of Marine infantry ground troops in any operation, including amphibious assaults — that is our bread and butter and our main purpose of being.”
With its operational career ahead of it and a long history behind it, the Marines believe the AH-1Z helicopter will give the 11th MEU the highly capable and hard-hitting combat power they deserve. By all indications, the 11th MEU is well protected.
The new Cobra Helicopter is more lethal than it’s predecessor, the AH-1W “Whiskey”. The AH-1Z helicopter carries twice the weaponry, longer flight times, can fly further, faster and quieter than previous versions of the Cobra helicopter. The newest upgrades on the AH-1Z are airframes rated for 10,000 flight hours, a new four-bladed rotor systems with semi-automatic blade fold capability, new composite rotor blades, upgraded main transmissions, four-bladed tail rotor systems, strengthened landing gear, and larger wing pylons with additional weapons stations.
Skip Robinson at VerticalMag.com wrote an excellent description of the new cockpit/avionics suite and weaponry, “The AH-1Z Zulu’s new-generation, fully integrated glass cockpit/avionics suite is designed to reduce workload and improve crew situational awareness and safety. A new nose-mounted turreted weapons control and targeting system — the electro-optical/infrared Target Sight System (TSS) from Lockheed Martin — has integrated state-of-the-art sensors, providing Cobra pilots with enhanced capabilities to acquire, track and designate targets. The system provides superb imagery through a stabilized sensor suite including a third-generation forward-looking infrared camera, color video display and a laser target designator and rangefinder. With TSS, Cobra pilots can now identify a threat from substantially longer standoff ranges, allowing them to accurately engage enemy forces with much improved combat survivability.
The new larger wings and pylons give a mission commander a wide range of weapons or fuel loads. Weapons carried include a selection of unguided rockets, Hellfire guided missiles and even wingtip-mounted Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. External fuel tanks can carried to increase the helicopters endurance during long-range missions."
It has taken over a decade of development to get the AH-1Z Cobra ready for deployment. The Super Cobra will be the MEU’s main rotory-wing attack aircraft. As one Zulu helicopter pilot said, “The Zulu is foremost tasked with direct air support of Marine infantry ground troops in any operation, including amphibious assaults — that is our bread and butter and our main purpose of being.”
With its operational career ahead of it and a long history behind it, the Marines believe the AH-1Z helicopter will give the 11th MEU the highly capable and hard-hitting combat power they deserve. By all indications, the 11th MEU is well protected.
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