190-698: The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter . A member of the prolific Huey family , the AH-1 is also referred to as the HueyCobra or Snake . The AH-1 was rapidly developed as an interim gunship in response to the United States Army 's needs in the Vietnam War . It used the same engine, transmission and rotor system as
380-546: A $ 179.7 billion budget and is the second largest service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, with 321,848 active duty airmen , 147,879 civilian personnel, 68,927 reserve airmen, 105,104 Air National Guard airmen, and approximately 65,000 Civil Air Patrol auxiliarists . According to the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat . 502), which created the USAF: Section 9062 of Title 10 US Code defines
570-421: A better use of resources. Despite the opposition, Mil managed to persuade the defence minister's first deputy, Marshal Andrey A. Grechko , to convene an expert panel to look into the matter. While the panel's opinions were mixed, supporters of the project eventually held sway and a request for design proposals for a battlefield support helicopter was issued. The development of gunships and attack helicopters by
760-426: A broader dimension of time or space than do tactics; they provide the means by which tactical successes are exploited to achieve strategic and operational objectives. Tactical Level Command and Control is where individual battles and engagements are fought. The tactical level of war deals with how forces are employed, and the specifics of how engagements are conducted and targets attacked. The goal of tactical level C2
950-619: A capable platform for countering enemy armour. The type was operated by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), with the First Attack Helicopter Squadron formally commencing on 1 December 1977. The service named the type as the "Tzefa" ( Hebrew : צפע , for Viper ). On 9 May 1979, the IAF's Cobras performed their first attack, firing four Orev missiles at a house near Tyre, Lebanon , that was occupied by militants. Israel's fleet of Cobras
1140-529: A classic single-rotor layout. Its transport capability was removed and it lost its similarity to the Mi-24. Design work on the Mi-28 began under Marat Tishchenko in 1980. In 1981, a design and a mock-up were accepted. The prototype (no. 012) was first flown on 10 November 1982. In this same time frame, Kamov was also attempting to submit its own designs for a new helicopter to the military, which they had designed throughout
1330-438: A cleanup plan for drinking water around Tucson, Arizona after the region's groundwater was contaminated by PFAS runoff from nearby Air Force bases. The United States Air Force has been involved in many wars, conflicts and operations using military air operations. The USAF possesses the lineage and heritage of its predecessor organizations, which played a pivotal role in U.S. military operations since 1907: In addition since
1520-452: A commander in planning, directing, coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the accomplishment of the mission" (JP 1-02). This core function includes all of the C2-related capabilities and activities associated with air, cyberspace, nuclear, and agile combat support operations to achieve strategic, operational, and tactical objectives. At the strategic level command and control,
1710-730: A common light attack helicopter, other prospective manufacturing participants in the joint initiative included Fokker and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA . In 1986, the governments of Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate an improved version of the A129, alternatively called the Joint European Helicopter Tonal or Light Attack Helicopter (LAH). By 1988, feasibility studies for four different options had been conducted for
1900-481: A conventional war ever, as well as the only confirmed helicopter dogfights in history; in particular, Iranian Army Aviation AH-1J SeaCobras engaged with Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8 Hip helicopters of the Iraqi Army Air Corps. The Iranian Cobras also attacked advancing Iraqi divisions in conjunction with fixed-wing F-4 Phantoms armed with Maverick missiles , destroying numerous armoured vehicles and impeded
2090-894: A force multiplier. It allows air assets to more rapidly reach any trouble spot around the world with less dependence on forward staging bases or overflight/landing clearances. Air refueling significantly expands the options available to a commander by increasing the range, payload, persistence, and flexibility of receiver aircraft. Aeromedical evacuation is "the movement of patients under medical supervision to and between medical treatment facilities by air transportation" (JP 1-02). JP 4-02, Health Service Support, further defines it as "the fixed wing movement of regulated casualties to and between medical treatment facilities, using organic and/or contracted mobility airframes, with aircrew trained explicitly for this mission." Aeromedical evacuation forces can operate as far forward as fixed-wing aircraft are able to conduct airland operations. Global precision attack
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#17328526587062280-651: A further 158 sustained some level of damage. The U.S. Marine Corps also operated the AH-1G Cobra in Vietnam for a short time before acquiring the twin-engine AH-1J Cobras . The AH-1Gs had been adopted by the Marines as an interim measure, a total of 38 helicopters having been transferred from the U.S. Army to the Marines in 1969. During Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada in 1983 , several AH-1T Cobras were deployed to fly close air support and helicopter escort missions. On
2470-531: A greater emphasis on the attack helicopter's anti-tank capabilities came about. Much of the project's organisational framework was rapidly redeveloped between 1987 and 1989; such as the installation of a Franco-German Helicopter Office to act as a program executive agency in May 1989. Due to the end of the Cold War and subsequent defence budgets decreases in the 1990s, financial pressures led to further questions regarding
2660-566: A greater level of survivability. Despite the Army's preference for the AAFSS program—for which Bell Helicopter was not selected to compete—the company persisted with their own idea of a smaller and lighter gunship, noting that Lockheed had little experience in developing rotorcraft and correctly predicted that it would encounter considerable difficulties. Bell employee Mike Folse played a key role in developing this new gunship, which he intentionally based around
2850-413: A grenade launcher in a ball turret on the nose, a 20 mm belly-mounted gun pod, and stub wings for mounting rockets or SS.10 anti-tank missiles. In June 1962, Bell displayed the mockup to US Army officials, hoping to solicit funding for further development; rival manufacturers issued protests to this approach, alleging that it was an attempt by Bell to circumvent the competitive process. Nevertheless,
3040-456: A major tool against tank warfare, and most attack helicopters became more and more optimized for the antitank mission. Amid the opening months of the Korean War era, during August 1950, a joint US Navy and Marine Corps test used a newly acquired Bell HTL-4 helicopter to test if a bazooka could be fired from a helicopter in flight. One of the larger 3.5 inch (90mm calibre) models of the bazooka
3230-556: A more ambitious helicopter design. In 1978, Agusta formally began the design process on what would become the Agusta A129 Mangusta . On 11 September 1983, the first of five A129 prototypes made the type's maiden flight ; the fifth prototype would first fly in March 1986. The Italian Army placed an order for 60 A129s. The A129 was the first European attack helicopter; as such it has several original aspects to its design, such as being
3420-509: A more capable successor to the Cobra, had procured a large fleet of AH-64 Apaches since receiving the first example of the type during early 1984. The withdrawn AH-1s were typically offered to other potential operators, usually NATO allies. The Army retired the AH-1 from its reserves in September 2001. The retired AH-1s were then disposed of, often through sales to overseas customers; the final portion of
3610-520: A nation state, or non-state/transnational actor. The Air Force maintains and presents credible deterrent capabilities through successful visible demonstrations and exercises that assure allies, dissuade proliferation, deter potential adversaries from actions that threaten US national security or the populations, and deploy military forces of the US, its allies, and friends. Nuclear strike is the ability of nuclear forces to rapidly and accurately strike targets which
3800-739: A part of the United States Army Signal Corps , the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947 . It is the second youngest branch of the United States Armed Forces and the fourth in order of precedence . The United States Air Force articulates its core missions as air supremacy , global integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance , rapid global mobility , global strike , and command and control . The United States Air Force
3990-405: A precondition" (Annex 3–70, Strategic Attack). Air Interdiction is defined as "air operations conducted to divert, disrupt, delay, or destroy the enemy's military potential before it can be brought to bear effectively against friendly forces, or to otherwise achieve JFC objectives. Air Interdiction is conducted at such distance from friendly forces that detailed integration of each air mission with
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#17328526587064180-482: A production contract for 110 AH-1G Cobras. The Cobra had a tandem cockpit seating arrangement (vs UH-1 side-by-side) to make the aircraft a smaller frontal target, increased armor protection, and greater speed. In 1967, the first AH-1Gs were deployed to Vietnam, around the same time that the Cheyenne successfully completed its first flight and initial flight evaluations. And while the Cheyenne program suffered setbacks over
4370-577: A purpose-built attack helicopter with more speed and firepower than current armed helicopters was required in the face of increasingly intense ground fire (often using heavy machine guns and anti-tank rockets) from Viet Cong and NVA troops. Based on this realization, and with the growing involvement in Vietnam, the U.S. Army developed the requirements for a dedicated attack helicopter, the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS). The aircraft design selected for this program in 1965,
4560-512: A quick solution. Submissions came in for armed variants of the Boeing-Vertol ACH-47A , Kaman HH-2C Tomahawk , Piasecki 16H Pathfinder , Sikorsky S-61 , and the Bell 209. During April 1966, Bell's submission emerged victorious in an evaluation against the other rival helicopters. The US Army promptly signed the first production contract, ordering an initial batch of 110 aircraft. By the end of
4750-483: A rapid cessation of hostilities. Post-conflict, regeneration of a credible nuclear deterrent capability will deter further aggression. The Air Force may present a credible force posture in either the Continental United States , within a theater of operations, or both to effectively deter the range of potential adversaries envisioned in the 21st century. This requires the ability to engage targets globally using
4940-476: A set of small wings positioned to the top rear of the passenger cabin, capable of holding up to six missiles or rocket pods, along with a twin-barrel GSh-23L cannon fixed to the landing skid. These designs were proposed by Mil to the Soviet armed forces , and while he had the support of a number of strategists, he was opposed by several more senior members of the armed forces who believed that conventional weapons were
5130-747: A sharp reduction in flight hours for crew training since 2005 and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel directing Airmen's Time Assessments. On 5 June 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates accepted the resignations of both the Secretary of the Air Force , Michael Wynne , and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force , General T. Michael Moseley . In his decision to fire both men Gates cited "systemic issues associated with... declining Air Force nuclear mission focus and performance". Left unmentioned by Gates
5320-570: A single squadron was deployed in 1994. Pakistani Cobras subsequently saw action in Sierra Leone. By 2013, Pakistan reportedly operated a fleet of 35 AH-1F helicopters. Maintaining these aircraft has been difficult, but possible through commercial channels. Additionally, the US government provided $ 750,000 (~$ 967,428 in 2023) through 2013 to update the existing AH-1F/S Cobra fleet. However, controversy over how much of this funding has actually been spent on Pakistan's Cobras has also been present throughout
5510-526: A solid reputation as an attack helicopter. In June 1972 the USMC began deploying AH-1J SeaCobra Attack Helicopters for combat operations in South Vietnam. During the late 1970s, the U.S. Army saw the need of more sophistication within the attack helicopter corps, allowing them to operate in all weather conditions. Although AH-1Gs served well, they proved vulnerable even in a mid-intensity environment. With that
5700-448: A strong focus on the improvement of Basic Military Training (BMT) for enlisted personnel. While the intense training has become longer, it also has shifted to include a deployment phase. This deployment phase, now called the BEAST, places the trainees in a simulated combat environment that they may experience once they deploy. While the trainees do tackle the massive obstacle courses along with
5890-486: A suitable aircraft. The Atlas XH-1 Alpha was the first prototype to emerge from the program. It was developed from an Aérospatiale Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original cockpit with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20 mm cannon on the nose and converting the undercarriage to tail-dragger configuration. The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and
Bell AH-1 Cobra - Misplaced Pages Continue
6080-505: A team normally comprised a single OH-6 flying slow and low to find enemy forces. If the OH-6 drew fire, the Cobra could strike at the then revealed enemy. On 12 September 1968, Capt. Ronald Fogleman was flying an F-100 Super Sabre when the aircraft was shot down and he ejected 200 miles (320 km) north of Bien Hoa. Fogleman became the only pilot to be rescued by holding on to an Army AH-1G's deployed gun-panel door. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for
6270-640: A total of 3 prototypes had completed over 400 hours of test flights by this time. By 2004, 3 more prototypes were built, for a total of 6, and a second stage of test flights were concluded on December 15, 2004. In one of the test flights the future commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force Air Force (PLAGAF), Song Xiangsheng ( 宋湘生 ), was on board the prototype. A third stage of intensive test flights followed, taking place during both day and night. By January 2006 weaponry and sensor tests, including firing of live ammunition, had taken place. The helicopter
6460-463: A unique low-altitude, low-speed capability for close air support. Other purpose-built helicopters were developed for special operations missions, including the MH-6 for extremely close support. During the early 1960s, Soviet engineers started experimenting with various designs aimed at producing an aerial vehicle that could provide battlefield mobility for infantry and provide fire support to army forces on
6650-510: A variety of methods; therefore, the Air Force should possess the ability to induct, train, assign, educate and exercise individuals and units to rapidly and effectively execute missions that support US NDO objectives. Finally, the Air Force regularly exercises and evaluates all aspects of nuclear operations to ensure high levels of performance. Nuclear surety ensures the safety, security and effectiveness of nuclear operations. Because of their political and military importance, destructive power, and
6840-569: A window from four miles [6.4 km] away at night." However, serious logistical problems limited operations, Apaches in the Iraqi theater flew only one-fifth of planned flight-hours. The "deep attack" role of independently operating attack helicopters came into question after a failed mission, during the 2003 Gulf War attack on the Karbala Gap . A second mission in the same area, four days later, but coordinated with artillery and fixed-wing aircraft,
7030-455: Is "the acquisition of information and the provision of this information to processing elements" (JP 2-01). It provides the ability to obtain required information to satisfy intelligence needs (via use of sources and methods in all domains). Collection activities span the Range of Military Operations (ROMO). Processing and exploitation is "the conversion of collected information into forms suitable to
7220-417: Is "the employment of limited offensive action and counterattacks to deny a contested area or position to the enemy" (JP 1-02). It includes both ballistic missile defense and airborne threat defense and encompasses point defense, area defense, and high-value airborne asset defense. Passive defense is "measures taken to reduce the probability of and to minimize the effects of damage caused by hostile action without
7410-563: Is a military service branch organized within the Department of the Air Force , one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense . The Air Force through the Department of the Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force , who reports to the Secretary of Defense and is appointed by the President with Senate confirmation . The highest-ranking military officer in
7600-425: Is defined as "all the defensive measures designed to detect, identify, intercept, and destroy or negate enemy forces attempting to penetrate or attack through friendly airspace" (JP 1-02). In concert with OCA operations, a major goal of DCA operations is to provide an area from which forces can operate, secure from air and missile threats. The DCA mission comprises both active and passive defense measures. Active defense
7790-534: Is defined as "offensive operations to destroy, disrupt, or neutralize enemy aircraft, missiles, launch platforms, and their supporting structures and systems both before and after launch, but as close to their source as possible" (JP 1-02). OCA is the preferred method of countering air and missile threats since it attempts to defeat the enemy closer to its source and typically enjoys the initiative. OCA comprises attack operations, sweep, escort, and suppression/destruction of enemy air defense. Defensive Counter-Air (DCA)
Bell AH-1 Cobra - Misplaced Pages Continue
7980-486: Is the ability to hold at risk or strike rapidly and persistently, with a wide range of munitions, any target and to create swift, decisive, and precise effects across multiple domains. Strategic attack is defined as "offensive action specifically selected to achieve national strategic objectives. These attacks seek to weaken the adversary's ability or will to engage in conflict, and may achieve strategic objectives without necessarily having to achieve operational objectives as
8170-580: Is the cornerstone of the credibility of the NDO mission. Positive nuclear command, control, communications; effective nuclear weapons security; and robust combat support are essential to the overall NDO function. Command and control is "the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission. Command and control functions are performed through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities, and procedures employed by
8360-650: Is to achieve commander's intent and desired effects by gaining and keeping offensive initiative. The origins of the United States Air Force can be traced back to the Union Army Balloon Corps of the American Civil War . The Union Balloon Corps, established by aeronaut Thaddeus S. C. Lowe , provided aerial reconnaissance for the Union Army . This early use of balloons for military purposes marked
8550-645: The 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt , Turkish Cobras were alleged to have fired upon several police vehicles. Between 1984 and 1986, Pakistan was supplied with an initial batch of 20 AH-1S gunships by the US; these were later upgraded with the C-NITE thermal imaging package. Operated by Pakistan Army Aviation , the service first used Cobra overseas in Somalia during the United Nations Operation in Somalia II , where
8740-552: The Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) program started, aiming for a more durable, more advanced, longer range, stronger close air support helicopter, capable of destroying armored formations. It would be capable of carrying the new AGM-114 Hellfire and night fighting capabilities. From this program the Hughes YAH-64 came out as the winner. The prototype YAH-64 was first flown on 30 September 1975. The U.S. Army selected
8930-623: The Bell OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopter, were also common occurrences. Radio communications were handled by the gunner. Regardless of mission profile, low altitude flying was commonplace. By June 1967, the first AH-1G HueyCobras had been delivered. Originally designated as UH-1H, the "A" for attack designation was soon adopted and when the improved UH-1D became the UH-1H, the HueyCobra became the AH-1G. The AH-1
9120-463: The Bell UH-1 Iroquois , which had already proven itself to be a capable platform during the conflict, but paired it with a redesigned narrow fuselage among other features. The original AH-1, being a dedicated attack helicopter, came equipped with stub wings for various weapons, a chin-mounted gun turret , and an armored tandem cockpit , from which it was operated by a pilot and gunner. Its design
9310-661: The Bomber Mafia ), followed by fighters ( Fighter Mafia ). In response to a 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident , Secretary of Defense Robert Gates accepted in June 2009 the resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley . Moseley's successor, General Norton A. Schwartz , a former airlift and special operations pilot,
9500-643: The Gulf War (1990–91), both the Cobras and SuperCobras deployed in a support role. The USMC deployed 91 AH-1W SuperCobras while the US Army operated 140 AH-1 Cobras of various models in the theatre; these were typically operated from dispersed forward operating bases in close proximity to Saudi Arabia's border with Iraq. Three AH-1s were lost in accidents during fighting and afterward. Cobras successfully destroyed large numbers of Iraqi armored vehicles and various other targets during
9690-477: The Gulf War . In US Army service, the Cobra was progressively replaced by the newer and more capable Boeing AH-64 Apache during the 1990s, with the final examples being withdrawn during 2001. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) operated the Cobra most prolifically along its land border with Lebanon , using its fleet intensively during the 1982 Lebanon War . Turkish AH-1s have seen regular combat with Kurdish insurgents near Turkey's southern borders. Upgraded versions of
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#17328526587069880-664: The Kargil War in 1999, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army found that there was a need for helicopters that can operate at such high-altitude conditions with ease. Limitations in terms of both high payloads and maneuverability of the existing Mi-35 fleet reportedly contributed to India developing indigenous rotorcraft, such as the HAL Prachand and HAL Rudra , to perform multi-role high-altitude combat operations. The HAL Rudra
10070-617: The Royal Jordanian Air Force to bolster the numbers of their existing fleet. Japan manufactured 89 AH-1S Cobras under license by Fuji Heavy Industries from 1984 to 2000. The type is used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force , and are Step 3 models, which are roughly the equivalent to the U.S. Army's AH-1Fs. The engine is the T53-K-703 turboshaft, which Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced under license. During
10260-400: The Vietnam War and one of the most numerous helicopter types built. The UH-1 made the theory of air cavalry practical, as the new tactics called for US forces to be highly mobile across a wide area. Unlike before, they would not stand and fight long battles , and they would not stay and hold positions. Instead, the plan was that the troops carried by fleets of UH-1 "Hueys" would range across
10450-452: The Vietnam War , to this day the pair of most produced helicopter designs in aviation history. These helicopters proved to be moderately successful in these configurations, but due to a lack of armor protection and speed, they were ultimately ineffective platforms for mounting weapons in higher-threat ground combat environments. Since the 1960s, various countries around the world started to design and develop various types of helicopters with
10640-706: The Z-10 ( Chinese : 直-10 ; lit. 'helicopter-10'). The 602nd Research Institute was assigned as the chief designer, while Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC) of China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) was assigned as the primary manufacturer. Nearly four dozen other establishments participated in the program. According to Chinese sources, the initial test flights were concluded on December 17, 2003, whereas according to other sources they were completed nine months earlier in March 2003. According to Jane's Information Group ,
10830-406: The anti-tank role to destroy grouped enemy armored vehicles . Attack helicopters are also used as protective escort for transport helicopters , or to supplement lighter helicopters in the armed reconnaissance roles. In combat, an attack helicopter is projected to destroy targets worth around 17 times its own production cost before being destroyed. Low-speed, fixed wing Allied aircraft like
11020-732: The offensive capability of engaging ground targets such as enemy infantry , military vehicles and fortifications . Due to their heavy armament they are sometimes called helicopter gunships . Attack helicopters can use weapons including autocannons , machine guns , rockets , and anti-tank missiles such as the AGM-114 Hellfire . Some attack helicopters are also capable of carrying air-to-air missiles , though mostly for purposes of self-defense against other helicopters and low-flying light combat aircraft . A modern attack helicopter has two primary roles: first, to provide direct and accurate close air support for ground troops; and second,
11210-443: The 1980s and 1990s, the Cobras continued to play a role in major operations against groups such as Hezbollah , including Operations " Accountability " and " Grapes of Wrath ", in southern Lebanon. During August 1996, the IAF's Cobra fleet was expanded yet again via 14 surplus US Army AH-1F Cobras being acquired, some of which were used by the front line squadrons while others were operated exclusively for flight training purposes. During
11400-532: The 2000s, the Cobra's precision strike capability was bolstered by the adoption of the Spike missile . During late 2013, Israel opted to retire the last of its 33 AH-1 Cobras from front line service, largely due to budget cuts. Its role was taken up entirely by the IAI's squadrons of AH-64 attack helicopters, while an extensive fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) took over the role of patrolling combat zones. The Cobra fleet
11590-801: The 2010s, Japan was examining options for procuring a fleet of new rotorcraft to replace its aging Cobras; it has been specified that the replacement helicopter would need to be optimized for marine use and able to operate from expeditionary airstrips or sea bases, and that between 30 and 50 such craft would be purchased. In December 2022, the Japanese government decided to replace 47 AH-1S, 12 AH-64D , 33 OH-1 , and 26 U-125A with unmanned aerial vehicles. Japan plans to increase its defense budget from 1.24% of GDP in fiscal 2021 to around 2.0% within 10 years, and has decided to retire these helicopters and aircraft as part of an effort to spend its defense budget efficiently. Jordan obtained an initial batch of 24 AH-1Fs during
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#173285265870611780-610: The 2010s. Turkey has also become a key supplier of spare parts for the Cobra, often free of cost, to Pakistan. During the 2010s, Pakistan lost a total of three aircraft in separate incidents. Pakistan repeatedly sought the Bell AH-1W SuperCobra from the US to supplement and replace its current AH-1 Cobras. Attempts to acquire the AH-1Z Viper or AH-64E Apache from the US were rejected, so Pakistan turned to buying other foreign attack helicopters. Possible candidates have included
11970-511: The 2011 military intervention was to protect civilians in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1973 . Within days of the Apaches deployment, it had completed a variety of tasks such as destroying tanks, checkpoints held by pro-Gaddafi forces and vehicles carrying ammunitions loyal to Muammar Gaddafi . Apache operations over Libya have been heavily influenced and supported by NATO reconnaissance flights and intelligence missions; information
12160-524: The 21st century. Changes in the military situation after the Cold War made specialized anti-tank helicopters less useful. The advantages of the Mi-28N, like all-weather action ability, lower cost, and similarity to the Mi-24, have become more important. In 2003, the head of Russian Air Force stated that the Mi-28N and Ka-50 attack helicopters will become the standard Russian attack helicopter. The first serial Mi-28N
12350-479: The 6-ton class China Medium Helicopter (CHM) program in 1994. The program was promoted as a civilian project, and was able to secure significant Western technical assistance, such as from Eurocopter (rotor installation design consultancy), Pratt & Whitney Canada (PT6C turboshaft engine) and Agusta Westland (transmission). The Chinese concentrated on areas where it could not obtain foreign help. The 602nd Research Institute's called its proposed armed helicopter design
12540-466: The A129 was derived from the A109 and incorporated to an entirely new forward section. The A129's fuselage is highly angular and armoured for ballistic protection; the composite rotor blades are also able to withstand hits from 23mm cannon fire. The two man crew, comprising a pilot and gunner, sit in a conventional tandem cockpit. During the 1980s, Agusta sought to partner with Westland Helicopters to develop
12730-499: The AH-1 entered service with the US Army and were promptly deployed to the Vietnam theater. It commonly provided fire support to friendly ground forces, escorted transport helicopters, and flew in "hunter killer" teams by pairing with Hughes OH-6A Cayuse scout helicopters. In the Vietnam War alone, the Cobra fleet cumulatively chalked up in excess of one million operational hours; roughly 300 AH-1s were also lost in combat. In addition to
12920-423: The AH-1F. The AH-1F integrated numerous countermeasures, including an infrared jammer, a radar jammer, and a hot plume exhaust suppressor. The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) quickly became interested in the Cobra, opting to order an improved twin-engine version in 1968 under the designation AH-1J. During the early 1970s, the USMC proceeded to order an upgraded model, the AH-1T, which featured dynamic elements derived from
13110-428: The Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force retain administrative authority over their members. Along with conducting independent air operations, the United States Air Force provides air support for land and naval forces and aids in the recovery of troops in the field. As of 2020 , the service operates approximately 5,500 military aircraft and approximately 400 ICBMs . The world's largest air force, it has
13300-411: The Air Force is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force , who exercises supervision over Air Force units and serves as one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . As directed by the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Air Force, certain Air Force components are assigned to unified combatant commands . Combatant commanders are delegated operational authority of the forces assigned to them, while the Secretary of
13490-410: The Air Force states as global vigilance, global reach, and global power. Air superiority is "that degree of dominance in the air battle of one force over another which permits the conduct of operations by the former and its related land, sea, air, and special operations forces at a given time and place without prohibitive interference by the opposing force" (JP 1-02). Offensive Counter-Air (OCA)
13680-422: The Air Force's readiness to carry out the nuclear strike operations mission as well as from specific actions taken to assure allies as a part of extended deterrence. Dissuading others from acquiring or proliferating WMD and delivering them contributes to promoting security and is also an integral part of this mission. Moreover, different deterrence strategies are required to deter various adversaries, whether they are
13870-618: The Army was interested and awarded Bell a proof-of-concept contract in December 1962. Bell modified a Model 47 into the Model 207 Sioux Scout which first flew in July 1963. The Sioux Scout had all the key features of a modern attack helicopter: a tandem cockpit , stub wings for weapons, and a chin-mounted gun turret . After evaluating the Sioux Scout in early 1964, the Army was impressed but also felt that it
14060-535: The BEAST, the other portions include defending and protecting their base of operations, forming a structure of leadership, directing search and recovery, and basic self aid buddy care. During this event, the Military Training Instructors (MTI) act as mentors and opposing forces in a deployment exercise. In November 2022, the USAF announced that it will discontinue BEAST and replace it with another deployment training program called PACER FORGE. In 2007,
14250-589: The Block 1F standard by 2011. The upgrade involves improved targeting systems and other avionics which enable the helicopter to use guided missiles for the first time. The Mokopa ATGM was qualified as part of the upgrade process. Gearbox components were improved and cooling problems with the F2 20 mm cannon were also addressed. On 1 April 2011, the South African Air Force received the first five of eleven (one of
14440-487: The Cobra have been developed, such as the twin engined AH-1 SeaCobra/SuperCobra and the experimental Bell 309 KingCobra . Furthermore, surplus AH-1 helicopters have been reused for other purposes, including civilian ones; numerous examples have been converted to perform aerial firefighting operations. Closely related to the development of the Bell AH-1 is the story of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois transport helicopter—an icon of
14630-443: The Cobra was intentionally made to be sleek and be akin to that of a jet fighter. Aviation author Stanley McGowen observed that its appearance differed radically from any prior rotorcraft designed by Bell, possessing a relatively narrow fuselage and a then-unusual cockpit arrangement. This cockpit was covered by a large fighter-like canopy and its occupants protected by armor, such included tempered-steel seats and personal body armor. It
14820-874: The Democratic Republic of the Congo . This was the first combat deployment for the helicopter. Three helicopters from 16 Squadron SAAF were deployed to the region and since November 2013 it was involved in heavy fighting alongside the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade , against rebels operating in North Kivu , in particular the M23 militia , which consisted of hardened former government troops equipped with relatively heavy weaponry such as main battle tanks and anti-aircraft weaponry. During its first ever combat mission it proved to be instrumental in routing
15010-616: The French Army took place on 18 March 2005; the first official Tiger delivery to the Germany followed on 6 April 2005. Germany reduced its order to 57 in March 2013. In 2008 OCCAR estimated the project cost at € 7,300,000,000. France's FY2012 budget put their share of the project at €6.3bn (~US$ 8.5bn), implying a programme cost of €14.5bn (~US$ 19.5bn) to the three main partners. At FY2012 prices, their 40 HAP cost €27m/unit (~US$ 36m) and their 40 HAD €35.6m/unit (~US$ 48m), including development costs
15200-665: The French Tigers cost €78.8m (~US$ 106m) each. The Rooivalk project began in early 1984 under the auspices of the Atlas Aircraft Corporation , a predecessor of Denel Aviation . Faced with the increasingly conventional nature of the South African Border War , the South African Defence Force recognised the need for a dedicated attack helicopter and accordingly set along the process of developing
15390-734: The Iraqi advance, albeit not completely halting it. The 1990s could be seen as the coming-of-age for the U.S. attack helicopter. The AH-64 Apache was used extensively during Operation Desert Storm with great success, being used to fire the first shots of the conflict, destroying Iraqi early warning radar and surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites with their Hellfire missiles . They were later used successfully in both of their operational roles, to direct attack against enemy armor and as aerial artillery in support of ground troops; both Hellfire missile and cannon attacks by Apaches destroyed numerous enemy tanks and armored cars. General Carl Stiner claimed that: "You could fire that Hellfire missile through
15580-551: The L-4 Grasshopper, begun to be used in a light anti-armor role by a few U.S. Army artillery spotter units over France; these aircraft were field-outfitted with either two or four bazooka rocket launchers attached to the lift struts , against German armored fighting vehicles. During the summer of 1944, U.S. Army Major Charles Carpenter managed to successfully take on an anti-armor role with his rocket-armed Piper L-4. His L-4, bearing US Army serial number 43-30426 and named Rosie
15770-456: The LAH, these would have between 80 per cent and 20 per cent growth over the initial A129; both single-engine and twin-engine configurations were examined using various new powerplants, as well as a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved sensors and more powerful armament. However, the LAH project collapsed in 1990 following Britain and the Netherlands independently deciding to withdraw from
15960-770: The Navy , and the newly created Department of the Air Force. Prior to 1947, the responsibility for military aviation was shared between the Army Air Forces and its predecessor organizations (for land-based operations), the Navy (for sea-based operations from aircraft carriers and amphibious aircraft), and the Marine Corps (for close air support of Marine Corps operations). The 1940s proved to be important for military aviation in other ways as well. In 1947, Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager broke
16150-795: The Philippines for counter terrorism operations. The offer was later reduced to two units, which the Philippine government accepted. On 26 November 2019, an Antonov An-124 airlifter carried the two Bell AH-1F Cobras from Jordan to Clark International Airport/Clark Air Base. The helicopters are reportedly painted in a light grey livery similar to the paint scheme of the PAF's AgustaWestland AW109E armed helicopters. PAF AH-1s conducted airstrikes on communist insurgent positions as part of OPLAN "Wrath of Polaris 2" conducted by Joint Task Force Tala in Gonzaga, Cagayan. In 2003,
16340-457: The ROMO. The purpose of nuclear deterrence operations (NDO) is to operate, maintain, and secure nuclear forces to achieve an assured capability to deter an adversary from taking action against vital US interests. In the event deterrence fails, the US should be able to appropriately respond with nuclear options. The sub-elements of this function are: Assure/Dissuade/Deter is a mission set derived from
16530-516: The Rocketer , armed with six bazookas, had notable success in an engagement during the Battle of Arracourt on September 20, 1944, employing top attack tactics in knocking out at least four German armored vehicles, as a pioneering example of taking on heavy enemy armor from a slow-flying aircraft. The Germans were also engaged in such ad hoc low-speed light aircraft platforms for ground attack very late in
16720-673: The SAAF that the concept was feasible, opening the door for the development of the Rooivalk. During the Rooivalk's development, it was decided to base the aircraft on the dynamic components of the Aérospatiale Super Puma , a larger and more powerful helicopter. These components were already used on the Atlas Oryx , a local upgrade and modification of the Aérospatiale Puma . Unfortunately,
16910-724: The Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 training and utility biplane had been used as early as 1942 to provide night harassment attack capability against the Wehrmacht Heer on the Eastern Front , most effectively in the Battle of the Caucasus as exemplified by the Night Witches all-female Soviet air unit. Following Operation Overlord in 1944, the military version of the similarly slow-flying Piper J-3 Cub high-wing civilian monoplane,
17100-773: The Turkish T129 , the Chinese CAIC Z-10 , and the Russian Mi-35 Hind . In November 2014, Russia approved the sale of Mi-35M helicopters to Pakistan. In April 2015, China delivered three Z-10s to Pakistan. During the same month, the US Department of State approved the sale of 15 AH-1Zs and associated equipment to Pakistan. During October 2017, the T129 was also reported to be a contender for further orders. The Jordanian government offered to provide up to four surplus AH-1F Cobras to
17290-470: The U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam; the number of Cobras in service peaked at 1,081. Out of nearly 1,110 AH-1s that were delivered between 1967 and 1973, approximately 300 were lost to a combination of combat and accidents during the conflict. During Operation Lam Son 719 in Southeastern Laos , 26 U.S Army AH-1Gs were destroyed while
17480-706: The UH-1 Iroquois, AH-56 Cheyenne, OH-58 Kiowa, and later helicopters. Within its first decade of service, the US Army had put the original Cobra model through various exercises and operations, which highlighted both the attack helicopter's promise and areas in which it could be improved. By 1972, the US Army openly sought an improved anti-armor capability. Under the Improved Cobra Armament Program (ICAP), trials of eight AH-1s fitted with TOW missiles were conducted in October 1973. After passing qualification tests
17670-644: The UH-1B. The three highest-ranked aircraft, the Sikorsky S-61 , Kaman H-2 "Tomahawk" , and the Bell AH-1 Cobra , were selected to compete in flight trials conducted by the Army's Aviation Test Activity. Upon completion of the flight evaluations, the Test Activity recommended Bell's Huey Cobra to be an interim armed helicopter until the Cheyenne was fielded. On 13 April 1966, the U.S. Army awarded Bell Helicopter Company
17860-605: The US Army during the Vietnam War convinced the Soviets of the advantages of armed helicopter ground support doctrine, which had a positive influence on moving forward with the development of the Mil Mi-24 . After several mock-ups were produced, a directive was issued on 6 May 1968 to proceed with development of a twin-engine design of the helicopter. Work proceeded under Mil until his death in 1970. Detailed design work began in August 1968 under
18050-443: The US Army would be intruding into their domain by developing a complex armed aerial combatant, and ought to be largely restricted to transport aircraft. Meanwhile, some Army officials were concerned that the USAF did not take the close air support (CAS) mission as seriously as it ought to, and that response times of 30 minutes or more for fixed-wing aircraft would be unacceptable. Bell had been investigating helicopter gunships since
18240-468: The US Army, various other branches of the US military also opted to acquire the type, particularly the United States Marine Corps . Furthermore, numerous export sales were completed with several overseas countries, including Israel , Japan , and Turkey . For several decades, the AH-1 formed the core of the US Army's attack helicopter fleet, seeing combat in Vietnam, Grenada , Panama , and
18430-477: The US Forest Service acquired 25 retired AH-1Fs from the US Army. These have been designated Bell 209 and are being converted into Firewatch Cobras with infrared and low light sensors and systems for real time fire monitoring. The last two Firewatch Cobras were retired in October 2021. Attack helicopter An attack helicopter is an armed helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft , with
18620-543: The US determines national or multinational security objectives and guidance, and develops and uses national resources to accomplish these objectives. These national objectives in turn provide the direction for developing overall military objectives, which are used to develop the objectives and strategy for each theater. At the operational level command and control, campaigns and major operations are planned, conducted, sustained, and assessed to accomplish strategic goals within theaters or areas of operations. These activities imply
18810-566: The USAF dwarfs all other U.S. and allied air components, it often provides support for allied forces in conflicts to which the United States is otherwise not involved, such as the 2013 French campaign in Mali . The USAF has also taken part in numerous humanitarian operations. Some of the more major ones include the following: The culture of the United States Air Force is primarily driven by pilots, at first those piloting bombers (driven originally by
19000-464: The USAF established the nuclear-focused Air Force Global Strike Command on 24 October 2008, which later assumed control of all USAF bomber aircraft. On 26 June 2009, the USAF released a force structure plan that cut fighter aircraft and shifted resources to better support nuclear, irregular and information warfare. On 23 July 2009, The USAF released their Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Flight Plan, detailing Air Force UAS plans through 2047. One third of
19190-509: The USAF undertook a Reduction-in-Force (RIF). Because of budget constraints, the USAF planned to reduce the service's size from 360,000 active duty personnel to 316,000. The size of the active duty force in 2007 was roughly 64% of that of what the USAF was at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991. However, the reduction was ended at approximately 330,000 personnel in 2008 in order to meet the demand signal of combatant commanders and associated mission requirements. These same constraints have seen
19380-498: The Vietnam War proceeded, pressure accumulated in favor of the Model 209. Attacks on US forces were increasing and, by the end of June 1965, there were already 50,000 US ground troops in Vietnam. 1965 was also the deadline for AAFSS selection, but the program would become stuck in technical difficulties and political bickering. The US Army needed an interim gunship for Vietnam and it approached five separate companies with its request to provide
19570-618: The World War II-era Sikorsky R-4, could be armed with weapons in order to provide them with limited combat capability. Early examples include armed Sikorsky H-34s in service with the US Air Force and armed Mil Mi-4 in service with the Soviet Air Forces . This "experimental" trend towards the development of dedicated attack helicopters continued into the 1960s with the deployment of armed Bell UH-1s and Mil Mi-8s during
19760-670: The YAH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, and later approved full production in 1982. After purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984, McDonnell Douglas continued and turned it into the AH-64 Apache production and development. The helicopter was introduced to U.S. Army service in April 1986. Today, the US attack helicopter has been further refined, and the AH-64D Apache Longbow demonstrates many of
19950-526: The ability to fulfill their primary mission. Rapid Global Mobility is essential to virtually every military operation, allowing forces to reach foreign or domestic destinations quickly, thus seizing the initiative through speed and surprise. Airlift is "operations to transport and deliver forces and materiel through the air in support of strategic, operational, or tactical objectives" (Annex 3–17, Air Mobility Operations). The rapid and flexible options afforded by airlift allow military forces and national leaders
20140-407: The ability to integrate, evaluate, and interpret information from available sources to create a finished intelligence product for presentation or dissemination to enable increased situational awareness. Dissemination and integration is "the delivery of intelligence to users in a suitable form and the application of the intelligence to appropriate missions, tasks, and functions" (JP 2-01). It provides
20330-425: The ability to present information and intelligence products across the ROMO enabling understanding of the operational environment to military and national decision-makers. Rapid global mobility is the timely deployment, employment, sustainment, augmentation, and redeployment of military forces and capabilities across the ROMO. It provides joint military forces the capability to move from place to place while retaining
20520-455: The ability to respond and operate in a variety of situations and time frames. The global reach capability of airlift provides the ability to apply US power worldwide by delivering forces to crisis locations. It serves as a US presence that demonstrates resolve and compassion in humanitarian crisis. Air refueling is "the refueling of an aircraft in flight by another aircraft" (JP 1-02). Air refueling extends presence, increases range, and serves as
20710-519: The abortive Bell 309 KingCobra ; as such, it featured a longer fuselage and tailboom. These dynamic changes were combined with the adoption of heavier armaments, which provided the USMC with an effective anti-armor capacity, unlike the preceding model. The USMC's interest in the Cobra would lead to the production of more twin-engine variants of the helicopter. The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a dedicated attack helicopter, built to provide close air support and to escort friendly troop transports. The visual design of
20900-579: The advanced technologies being considered for deployment on future gunships. The US Marine Corps also continued to employ attack helicopters in the direct fire support role, in the form of the AH-1 Super Cobra . While helicopters were effective tank-killers in the Middle East, attack helicopters are being seen more in a multipurpose role. Tactics, such as tank plinking , showed that fixed-wing aircraft could be effective against tanks, but helicopters retained
21090-430: The beginning of modern aerial warfare and set the stage for the development of the United States Air Force. The U.S. War Department created the first antecedent of the U.S. Air Force, as a part of the U.S. Army, on 1 August 1907, which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual independence 40 years later. In World War II , almost 68,000 U.S. airmen died helping to win
21280-529: The codename Yellow 24. A full-scale mock-up of the design was reviewed and approved in February 1969. Flight tests with a prototype began on 15 September 1969 with a tethered hover, and four days later the first free flight was conducted. A second prototype was built, followed by a test batch of ten helicopters. A number of other design changes were made until the production version Mi-24A entered production in 1970, obtaining its initial operating capability in 1971 and
21470-544: The concept's detailed design. Mating the proven transmission, the "540" rotor system of the UH-1C augmented by a Stability Control Augmentation System (SCAS), and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 with the design philosophy of the Sioux Scout, Bell produced the Model 209 . It largely resembled the "Iroquois Warrior" mockup, particularly in its cockpit and tail boom; in broad visual terms, there
21660-479: The conflict, it was decided to remove the rocket pods and increase the amount of ammunition carried for the cannon instead. Other operational changes included a greater emphasis on cooperation with ground units to avoid friendly fire incidents. Largely due to a US embargo that prevented the purchase of further Cobras, Israel procured alternative platforms instead, including around 20 McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defenders in late 1979. Between 1983 and 1985, by which time
21850-555: The country, to fight the enemy at times and places of their own choice. The massive expansion of American military presence in Vietnam opened a new era of war from the air. The linchpin of US Army tactics was the helicopters, and the protection of those helicopters became a vital role. It became clear that unarmed troop helicopters were vulnerable against ground fire from Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops, particularly as they approached landing zones to disembark or embark troops. Without friendly support from artillery or ground forces,
22040-570: The course of the mission. Much of the Cobra's armaments could be installed upon the multiple hardpoints that were attached to the stub wings set on either side of the fuselage. In comparison to armed UH-1s, the Cobra would typically have carried twice as much ammunition and arrive on station in half the time, it also had three times the loiter time, which enabled the type to arrive in a designated landing zone ahead of transport helicopters to clear it, provide support fire while they are present, and to continue fighting as they withdraw. The slim profile of
22230-458: The design were incorporated after the Cobra had entered service. The principal amongst these changes was the repositioning of the tail rotor from the helicopter's left side to the right, which facilitated an increase in the effectiveness of the tail rotor. The AH-1 was the first U.S. Army helicopter not named for a Native American people since the practice began with the H-13 Sioux and continued with
22420-431: The development of the Rooivalk continued until after the conclusion of the South African Border War and defence budgets were slashed due to parliamentary changes to the requirements of the national air force. This resulted in an extensive development and production period beginning in 1990 until 2007, during which 12 aircraft were produced for use by the South African Air Force . These aircraft were subsequently upgraded to
22610-457: The early 1990s, and supplemented them with 32 ex-US Army Cobras. These additional units included several TAH-1P trainers while the majority were brought up to the AH-1F standard. During the 2010s, Turkish Cobras have repeatedly seen combat in operations against Kurdish insurgents around Turkey's borders with both Syria and Iraq. Two Cobras were reportedly lost to enemy fire during these operations. Amid
22800-617: The early and mid 1980s. In 1984, the Mi-28 completed the first stage of state trials, but in October 1984 the Soviet Air Force chose the more advanced Kamov Ka-50 as the new anti-tank helicopter. The Mi-28 development was continued, but given lower priority. In December 1987 Mi-28 production in Rosvertol in Rostov-on-Don was approved. After several prototypes were built, production ceased in 1993 with additional development continuing into
22990-656: The embargo had been lifted, 24 new Cobras were purchased; the expanded fleet enabled the creation of a second squadron, known as the Fighting Family Squadron, on 1 June 1985. During 1990, the IAF received its first Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, having acquired a fleet of 42 by 2000. At the time of the Apache's procurement, there was considerable political controversy over the IAF's decision to overlook upgrades to its existing Cobra fleet in favour of acquiring an entirely separate model of attack helicopter. Throughout
23180-422: The enemy holds dear in a devastating manner. If a crisis occurs, rapid generation and, if necessary, deployment of nuclear strike capabilities will demonstrate US resolve and may prompt an adversary to alter the course of action deemed threatening to our national interest. Should deterrence fail, the President may authorize a precise, tailored response to terminate the conflict at the lowest possible level and lead to
23370-466: The existing UH-1 on the rationale that, while the Army could not purchase a completely original helicopter without a formal design competition, the service was able to procure a modification of an aircraft that was already in its inventory without invoking such hurdles. This initiative quickly caught the approval of Bell's senior management team. In January 1965, Bell elected to invest $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 7.38 million in 2023) to proceed with
23560-483: The fire and movement of friendly forces is not required" (Annex 3-03, Counterland Operations). Close Air Support is defined as "air action by fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces and which require detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and movement of those forces" (JP 1-02). This can be as a pre-planned event or on demand from an alert posture (ground or airborne). It can be conducted across
23750-590: The first day of the invasion, two of the four Cobras involved were lost to anti-aircraft fire in the attack on Fort Frederick. During 1989, Army Cobras participated in Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama . It operated alongside its eventual successor in US Army service, the Boeing AH-64 Apache , for the first time during the combat in Panama. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in
23940-417: The first helicopter to make use of a fully computerised integrated management system to reduce crew workload. It was decided that much of the helicopter's functionality was to be automated; as such, parts of the flight and armament systems are monitored and directly controlled by onboard computers. The A129 shares considerable design similarities to Agusta's earlier A109 utility helicopter; the rear section of
24130-568: The fleet was liquidated in 2010. Some were also given to the USDA's Forest Service . The US Marine Corps retired the AH-1W SuperCobra in 2020, and continues to operate the AH-1Z Viper . Israel was an early export customer for the Cobra, purchasing six AH-1Gs from the US Army. The government was keen to procure a capable attack helicopter as recent combat in the Yom-Kippur War had shown a need for
24320-471: The following year, Bell was contracted with upgrading 101 AH-1Gs to the TOW-capable AH-1Q configuration. While early-production examples were not compatible with night vision goggles , the cockpit instrumentation of later Cobras was altered to facilitate their use. Further variants of the Cobra were promptly developed, with both new-build models and early production examples being modified to incorporate
24510-706: The future Z-10's requirements. Research also decided that anti-tank missiles like the BGM-71 TOW were inadequate, and favored an analogue to the AGM-114 Hellfire. The Gulf War highlighted the urgent need for attack helicopters, and revalidated the assessment that a purpose-built design was needed. (At the time, the Chinese military depended on armed utility helicopters such as the Changhe Z-11 and Harbin Z-9.) Also, it demonstrated that
24700-603: The globe to conduct current and future operations. Planning and directing is "the determination of intelligence requirements, development of appropriate intelligence architecture, preparation of a collection plan, and issuance of orders and requests to information collection agencies" (JP 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence Support to Military Operations). These activities enable the synchronization and integration of collection, processing, exploitation, analysis, and dissemination activities/resources to meet information requirements of national and military decision-makers. Collection
24890-537: The ground. The first of these concepts was a mock-up unveiled in 1966 in the experimental shop of the Ministry of Aircraft's factory number 329, where Mikhail Leont'yevich Mil was head designer. The mock-up, which was designated V-24, was based on another project, the V-22 utility helicopter , which itself never entered production. The V-24 had an infantry transport compartment that could hold eight troops sitting back to back, and
25080-420: The helicopter allegedly provided defensive benefits by making it harder for opponents to accurately hit it with small arms fire, although man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) did prove to be effective against the Cobra. Particularly vulnerable areas included the tail rotor drive shaft and the main transmission. Typically, the Cobra would avoid hovering at any point in an active engagement; instead, emphasis
25270-431: The improvements. During March 1978, the US Army opted to procure a batch of 100 new-build Cobras that featured a new T-shaped instrument panel, improved composite rotor blades, revised transmission and gearboxes, the M128 helmet-mounted sight, and the M28A3 armament system. A major feature was the adoption of a more powerful version of the T53 engine. Designated AH-1S, the Cobra was upgraded in three stages, culminating with
25460-439: The increasing numbers of post-war military helicopter designs. The only American helicopter in use during the war years, the Sikorsky R-4 , was only being used for rescue and were still very much experimental in nature. In the early 1950s, various countries around the world started to make increased use of helicopters in their operations in transport and liaison roles. Later on it was realised that these helicopters, successors to
25650-457: The intense fighting of the conflict. US Cobras were deployed in further operations across the 1990s. Army Cobras provided support for the US humanitarian intervention during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993. They were also employed during the US invasion of Haiti in 1994. During the 1990s, the US Army gradually phased out its Cobra fleet, completely retiring the type from active service in March 1999. The service, which had long sought
25840-442: The intention of taking the initiative" (JP 1-02). It includes detection and warning; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense; camouflage, concealment, and deception; hardening; reconstitution; dispersion; redundancy; and mobility, counter-measures, and stealth. Airspace control is "a process used to increase operational effectiveness by promoting the safe, efficient, and flexible use of airspace" (JP 1-02). It promotes
26030-421: The late 1950s, paying particular attention to the Algerian War , in which French forces mounted weapons onto helicopters to fight the growing insurgency. The company created a mockup of its D-255 helicopter gunship concept, named "Iroquois Warrior". The Iroquois Warrior was planned to be a purpose-built attack aircraft based on UH-1B components with a new, slender airframe and a two-seat, tandem cockpit. It featured
26220-413: The late 1980s. In 2001, nine additional ex-US Army Cobras were acquired to supplement the fleet. During 2010, Jordan transferred 16 AH-1F helicopters to Pakistan under a US-sponsored support program that provided Islamabad with 40 AH-1 refurbished helicopters. In late 2014, Israel and Jordan came to an agreement under which the former transferred 16 ex-IAF Cobras to the Royal Jordanian Air Force . The deal
26410-446: The mid-2030s. On 22 October 2023, the USAF conducted its first-ever trilateral exercise with the South Korean and Japanese air forces near the Korean Peninsula. On 29 November 2023, a USAF Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey crashed in the Japan island of Yakushima killing 1 airman. In 2024, citing the Supreme Court 's ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo , the Air Force refused to comply with an EPA order that they develop
26600-410: The military customers the Tiger was being developed for. Both France and Germany reorganised the programme. Thomson-CSF also took over the majority of the Tiger's electronic development work, such as the visual systems and sensors. Despite the early development problems and the political uncertainty between 1984 and 1986, the program was formally relaunched in November 1987; it was at this point that
26790-402: The military; these were no longer adequate in the attack role, and suitable only as scouts. Following this, China evaluated the Agusta A129 Mangusta, and in 1988 secured an agreement with the US to purchase AH-1 Cobras and a license to produce BGM-71 TOW missiles; the latter was cancelled following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the resulting arms embargo. The color revolutions prevented
26980-451: The necessity for the entire program. In 1992, Aérospatiale and MBB, among other companies, merged to form the Eurocopter Group; this led to considerable consolidation of the aerospace industry and the Tiger project itself. A major agreement was struck in December 1996 between France and Germany that cemented the Tiger's prospects and committed the development of supporting elements, such as a series of new generation missile designs for use by
27170-489: The new attack helicopter would need to be able to defend itself against other helicopters and aircraft. The military perceived that once the new attack helicopter entered service, the existing helicopters would be used as scouts. The Armed Helicopter Developmental Work Team ( 武装直升机开发工作小组 ) was formed to develop a new medium helicopter design, as opposed to basing the new design on the light helicopters then in service. The 602nd and 608th Research Institutes started development of
27360-405: The new combat helicopter. On 18 June 1999, both Germany and France publicly placed orders for an initial batch of 160 Tiger helicopters, 80 for each nation, valued at €3.3 billion. On 22 March 2002, the first production Tiger was rolled out in a large ceremony held at Eurocopter's Donauworth factory; although production models began initial acceptance trials in 2003, the first official delivery to
27550-420: The next few years due to technical problems, the Cobra was establishing itself as an effective aerial weapons platform, despite its performance shortcomings compared to the AH-56 and design issues of its own. The cost estimates of the AH-56 increased substantially. By 1972, when the Cheyenne program was eventually cancelled to make way for the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH), the interim AH-1 "Snake" had built
27740-424: The only way to pacify a landing zone was from the air, preferably with an aircraft that could closely escort the transport helicopters, and loiter over the landing zone as the battle progressed. By 1962, a small number of armed UH-1As were used as escorts, armed with multiple machine guns and rocket mounts. However, these makeshift gunships came with considerable tradeoffs, particularly being barely able to keep up with
27930-415: The planes that the USAF planned to buy in the future were to be unmanned. According to Air Force Chief Scientist, Greg Zacharias , the USAF anticipates having hypersonic weapons by the 2020s, hypersonic unmanned aerial vehicles (also known as remotely-piloted vehicles, or RPAs) by the 2030s and recoverable hypersonic RPAs aircraft by the 2040s. The USAF intends to deploy a Sixth-generation jet fighter by
28120-486: The potential consequences of an accident or unauthorized act, nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon systems require special consideration and protection against risks and threats inherent in their peacetime and wartime environments. In conjunction with other entities within the Departments of Defense or Energy, the Air Force achieves a high standard of protection through a stringent nuclear surety program. This program applies to materiel, personnel, and procedures that contribute to
28310-483: The production of intelligence" (JP 2-01). It provides the ability to transform, extract, and make available collected information suitable for further analysis or action across the ROMO. Analysis and production is "the conversion of processed information into intelligence through the integration, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of all source data and the preparation of intelligence products in support of known or anticipated user requirements" (JP 2-01). It provides
28500-458: The program and eventually procure the AH-64 Apache instead. Turkey had sought a new attack helicopter since the 1990s to replace their diminished Bell AH-1 Cobra and Bell AH-1 SuperCobra fleets. Following a highly protracted selection process, in September 2007, an order was issued for 51 TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK helicopters, a variant of the A129 International. As a part of the deal with AgustaWestland, Turkish defense firm TAI acquired
28690-462: The project's go-ahead and slightly under budget. This first flight was witnessed by around 20 US Army officials, the service having had no awareness of the project's existence prior to this, and rapidly drew the government's attention. One early test flight was met with a reportedly enthusiastic visit by US secretary of defense Robert McNamara . Bell claimed at this phase of the project that production units could be ready for service within one year. As
28880-503: The purchase of attack helicopters from Eastern Europe in 1990 and 1991; Bulgaria and Russia rejected Chinese offers to purchase the Mil Mi-24. While attempting to import foreign designs failed, war games determined that attack helicopters had to be commanded by the army, rather than the air force. This led to the formation of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force Aircraft (PLAGFAF), with an initial strength of 9 Harbin Z-9s . The PLAGFAF conducted tactical experiments that would help define
29070-448: The purpose of providing a heavily armed and protected aerial vehicle that can perform a variety of combat roles, from reconnaissance to aerial assault missions. By the 1990s, the missile-armed attack helicopter evolved into a primary anti-tank weapon. Able to quickly move about the battlefield and launch fleeting "pop-up attacks", helicopters presented a major threat even with the presence of organic air defenses. The helicopter gunship became
29260-409: The purpose of the USAF as: The five core missions of the Air Force have not changed dramatically since the Air Force became independent in 1947, but they have evolved and are now articulated as air superiority, global integrated ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control. The purpose of all of these core missions is to provide what
29450-423: The rebels from their hilltop strongholds during an offensive by the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade and the Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . United States Air Force The United States Air Force ( USAF ) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces , and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States . Originally created on 1 August 1907, as
29640-422: The requirement. It was out of the AAFSS program that the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne emerged, a heavy attack helicopter with high speed capability. During testing, it proved to be too sophisticated and costly, and was ultimately canceled in 1972 after ten years of development. In its place, the Advanced Attack Helicopter program was launched. Under this initiative, the Army sought a conventional attack helicopter with
29830-406: The rights for future manufacturing of the T129; TAI intends to produce the T129 for export customers. Various components and avionics systems are intended to be replaced with indigenously-produced systems as they are developed. In 1984, the French and West German governments issued a requirement for an advanced multirole battlefield helicopter . A joint venture consisting of Aérospatiale and MBB
30020-491: The safe, efficient, and flexible use of airspace, mitigates the risk of fratricide, enhances both offensive and defensive operations, and permits greater agility of air operations as a whole. It both deconflicts and facilitates the integration of joint air operations. Global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) is the synchronization and integration of the planning and operation of sensors, assets, and processing, exploitation, dissemination systems across
30210-546: The safety, security, and control of nuclear weapons, thus assuring no nuclear accidents, incidents, loss, or unauthorized or accidental use (a Broken Arrow incident ). The Air Force continues to pursue safe, secure and effective nuclear weapons consistent with operational requirements. Adversaries, allies, and the American people must be highly confident of the Air Force's ability to secure nuclear weapons from accidents, theft, loss, and accidental or unauthorized use. This day-to-day commitment to precise and reliable nuclear operations
30400-402: The sound barrier in his X-1 rocket-powered aircraft, beginning a new era of aeronautics in America. The predecessor organizations in the Army of today's Air Force are: During the early 2000s, two USAF aircraft procurement projects took longer than expected, the KC-X and F-35 programs. As a result, the USAF was setting new records for average aircraft age. Since 2005, the USAF has placed
30590-499: The troop transports they were intended to protect. While some officials within the Pentagon, particularly those within the US Army, had recognized the potential value of purpose-built armed rotary aircraft as early as 1962 and were keen to see such a vehicle developed promptly, the issue was complicated in part due to inter-service politics. The United States Air Force (USAF) largely held the opinion that most forms of US military aircraft should be operated only by their service, and that
30780-438: The twelve aircraft originally delivered to the SAAF was written off after an accident) Block 1F upgraded Rooivalk. The ninth and tenth Rooivalk attack helicopters were delivered in September 2012 following their upgrade to the Block 1F initial operating standard. The eleventh and final Rooivalk was delivered on 13 March 2013. The Indian Army deploys the Mil Mi-35 (export variant of Mi-24V) and HAL Rudra as of 2014. During
30970-404: The war, with one subtype of the Bücker Bestmann trainer—the Bü 181C-3 —armed with four Panzerfaust 100 anti-tank grenade launchers, two under each of the low-winged monoplane's wing panels, for the concluding two months of the war in Europe. This sort of role, being undertaken by low-speed fixed-wing light aircraft was something that was also likely to be achievable after World War II, from
31160-417: The war, with only the infantry suffering more casualties. In practice, the U.S. Army Air Forces ( USAAF ) was virtually independent of the Army during World War II, and in virtually every way functioned as an independent service branch, but airmen still pressed for formal independence. The National Security Act of 1947 was signed on 26 July 1947, which established the Department of the Air Force , but it
31350-419: The year, rapid follow-on orders had increased this to 500 Cobras. Bell added "Cobra" to the UH-1's Huey nickname to produce its HueyCobra name for the 209. The Army applied the Cobra name to its AH-1G designation for the helicopter. The Bell 209 demonstrator was used for the next six years to test weapons and fit of equipment. An additional use for the demonstrator was participating in marketing initiatives. It
31540-427: Was Lockheed's AH-56 Cheyenne . As the Army began its acquisition of a dedicated attack helicopter, it sought options to improve performance over the continued use of improvised interim aircraft (such as the UH-1B/C). In late 1965, a panel of high-level officers was selected to evaluate several prototype versions of armed and attack helicopters to determine which provided the most significant increase in capability to
31730-402: Was a modified version of HAL Dhruv , free of any major modifications to the airframe to quickly create an armed variant for the Indian Army. The HAL Prachand is a purpose-built attack helicopter, expressly designed to overcome several operational shortcomings of prior attack rotorcraft. By 2010, the Indian Air Force was reportedly set to acquire 65 LCHs while the Indian Army's Aviation Corps
31920-410: Was also modified to match the AH-1 production standard by the early 1970s. The demonstrator was retired to the Patton Museum at Fort Knox , Kentucky and converted to approximately its original appearance. The Bell 209 design was modified in several respects for production. The retractable skids were replaced by simpler fixed skids; this was not due to any recorded design flaw or serviceability, but it
32110-424: Was chosen, and was mounted ahead and to the right of the helicopter to allow the door to remain clear. The bazooka was successfully tested, although it was discovered that it would require shielding for the engine compartment, which was exposed in the model 47 and other early helicopters. The helicopter itself belonged to HMX-1, a Marine experimental helicopter squadron. In the mid-1960s, the U.S. Army concluded that
32300-414: Was considerably older than the Apaches, which contributed to several fatal crashes of the type. The Cobras were also more expensive to maintain than UAVs and their use exposed pilots to attacks from man-portable air-defense systems operated by guerrilla groups. Around the same time frame, the IAF also pursued upgrades to its AH-64 fleet. In late 2014, Israel transferred 16 of the recently-withdrawn Cobras to
32490-409: Was continually relayed to update target information, assess the threat of Surface to Air missiles (SAM), and the presence of civilians, enabling real time changes to missions. In 2013, the South African National Defence Force announced that it would deploy Denel Rooivalk attack helicopters to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in
32680-434: Was declared operational on 6 October 1967. The Army operated the Cobra continuously up to the U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1973. Typically, the AH-1 provided fire support for ground forces and escorted transport helicopters, in addition to other roles, including aerial rocket artillery (ARA) battalions in the two Airmobile divisions. They also formed "hunter killer" teams by pairing with OH-6A Cayuse scout helicopters;
32870-436: Was delivered to the Army on 5 June 2006. In 1979, the Chinese military studied the problem of countering large armor formations. It concluded that the best conventional solution was to use attack helicopters. Eight Aérospatiale Gazelle armed with Euromissile HOT were procured for evaluation. By the mid-1980s, the Chinese decided a dedicated attack helicopter was required. At the time, they used civilian helicopters converted for
33060-411: Was feared that the landing gear bay could become inundated with mud. Furthermore, a new wide-chord rotor blade was adopted. It was also decided that a plexiglass canopy should replace the Model 209's armored glass canopy, which was heavy enough to negatively impact performance. The umbrella-shaped dive brake was deleted, having reportedly self-destructed during its first test flight. Numerous changes of
33250-411: Was initially considered a variant of the H-1 line, resulting in the G series letter. The first six AH-1s arrived at Bien Hoa Air Base , South Vietnam on 30 August 1967 for combat testing by the U.S. Army Cobra New Equipment Training Team. On 4 September, the type scored its first combat kill by sinking a sampan boat, killing four Viet Cong . The first AH-1 unit, the 334th Assault Helicopter Company,
33440-404: Was introduced to the general public in December 2010 and subsequently entered service with the People's Liberation Army . In 1972, the Italian Army began forming a requirement for a light observation and anti-tank helicopter. Agusta had initially studied the development of a combat-orientated derivative of their existing A109 helicopter, however they decided to proceed with the development of
33630-512: Was more successful with minimal losses. In October 2014, U.S. Army AH-64s and Air Force fighters participated in four air strikes on Islamic State units northeast of Fallujah. In June 2016, Apaches were used in support of the Iraqi Army's Mosul offensive and provided support during the Battle of Mosul , sometimes flying night missions supporting Iraqi operations. In 2011, France and Britain sent Eurocopter Tiger and AgustaWestland Apache attack helicopters to Libya. The primary objective of
33820-414: Was not until 18 September 1947, when the first secretary of the Air Force, W. Stuart Symington , was sworn into office that the Air Force was officially formed as an independent service branch. The act created the National Military Establishment (renamed Department of Defense in 1949), which was composed of three subordinate Military Departments, namely the Department of the Army , the Department of
34010-401: Was officially accepted into the state arsenal in 1972. Numerous versions have been developed to this day. In 1972, following completion of the Mi-24, development began on a unique attack helicopter with transport capability. The new design had a reduced transport capability (3 troops instead of 8) and was called the Mil Mi-28 . In 1977, a preliminary design of the Mil Mi-28 was chosen, in
34200-438: Was operated by both a pilot and gunner, who were seated in a stepped tandem arrangement in which the commander was placed in the rear seat while the gunner occupied the forward position. This forward position provided a higher level of visibility to that of the rear seat. Both positions were provided with flying controls while both crew would typically be certified pilots, enabling control of the Cobra to be exchanged quickly through
34390-427: Was particularly active on the Lebanon front, having participated in the fighting there for in excess of 20 years. They were intensively used during the 1982 Lebanon War to destroy Syrian armor and fortifications alike, being reportedly responsible for the destruction of dozens of Syrian ground vehicles. In one operation alone, a pair of IAF Cobras destroyed three enemy tanks and one truck. Based upon its performance in
34580-493: Was placed on maintaining speed and mobility. The gunner often fired the chin-mounted cannon with the intention of suppressing hostile targets in between barrages of 2.75-inch rockets, held in pods upon the stub wings, which were fired by the back-seater. It was unusual for Cobras to operate alone; instead, two or more would be dispatched and teamwork encouraged, leading to hunter-killer tactics being used to flush out and eliminate ground targets. Pairings with other helicopters, such as
34770-412: Was publicly stated to be for the purpose of increasing border security, which was viewed as a pressing concern of both nations due to the threats posed by Islamic State (IS) militants, as well as by other insurgent groups, at that time. The Royal Jordanian Air Force has at least one squadron of Cobras in service, and is supposed to have used them in combat in Iraq and Syria. Turkey bought ten AH-1Ws in
34960-414: Was relatively little shared between the proposed design and the UH-1. Despite appearance, much of the Model 209's major elements, such as the tail rotor and much of the dynamic systems, were identical. Roughly 80 percent of its components already had existing Huey part numbers. On 3 September 1965, Bell rolled out its Model 209 prototype, and four days later it made its maiden flight, only eight months after
35150-406: Was shaped to fulfill a need for a dedicated armed escort for transport helicopters, giving the latter greater survivability in contested environments. On 7 September 1965, the Model 209 prototype performed its maiden flight ; after rapidly gaining the support of various senior officials, quantity production of the type proceeded rapidly with little revision. During June 1967, the first examples of
35340-422: Was subsequently chosen as the preferred supplier. According to statements by the French Defence Minister André Giraud in April 1986, the collaborative effort had become more expensive than an individual national programme and was forecast to take longer to complete as well. In July 1986, a government report into the project alleged that the development had become distanced from the requirements and preferences of
35530-429: Was that he had repeatedly clashed with Wynne and Moseley over other important non-nuclear related issues to the service. This followed an investigation into two incidents involving mishandling of nuclear weapons : specifically a nuclear weapons incident aboard a B-52 flight between Minot AFB and Barksdale AFB , and an accidental shipment of nuclear weapons components to Taiwan. To put more emphasis on nuclear assets,
35720-449: Was the first officer appointed to that position who did not have a background as a fighter or bomber pilot. The Washington Post reported in 2010 that General Schwartz began to dismantle the rigid class system of the USAF, particularly in the officer corps. In 2014, following morale and testing/cheating scandals in the Air Force's missile launch officer community, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James admitted that there remained
35910-407: Was to also procure 114 LCHs for its own purposes. During February 2020, the LCH was declared ready for production, the final assembly line has been established at HAL's Helicopter Division in Bangalore. Prime minister Narendra Modi conducted the handover ceremony of HAL Prachand to the Indian Armed forces in Jhansi. The Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s saw "the most intensive use of the helicopters" in
36100-406: Was undersized, underpowered, and that the Sioux Scout was generally not suited for practical operations. The Army's solution to the shortcomings of the Sioux Scout was to launch the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) competition. This called for a heavily armed helicopter capable of at least 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). A total of seven companies, including Bell, opted to respond to
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