Bell AH-1J SuperCobra

The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the United States Army's single-engine AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family, itself part of the larger Huey family, includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra. The AH-1W has been the backbone of the United States Marine Corps's attack helicopter fleet, but is being replaced by the Bell AH-1Z Viper.

Variants

• AH-1J SeaCobra: Original twin engine version.
• AH-1J International: Export version of the AH-1J SeaCobra.
• AH-1T Improved SeaCobra: Improved version with extended tailboom and fuselage and an upgraded transmission and engines
• AH-1W SuperCobra: ("Whiskey Cobra"), day/night version with more powerful engines and advanced weapons capability.
• AH-1(4B)W Viper: "Four-Bladed Whiskey" test version with a four-bladed bearingless composite main rotor based on Bell 680 rotor. A prototype was converted from AH-1T 161022.
• AH-1Z Viper: A new variant nicknamed "Zulu Cobra", and developed in conjunction with the UH-1Y Venom for the H-1 upgrade program. The variant includes an upgraded four-blade main rotor and adds the Target Sight System (TSS).
• Bell 309 KingCobra: Experimental all-weather version based on the AH-1G single-engine and AH-1J twin-engine designs. Two Bell 309s were produced; the first was powered by a PW&C T400-CP-400 Twin-Pac engine set and the second was powered by a Lycoming T-55-L-7C engine.
• CobraVenom: Proposed version for the United Kingdom.
• AH-1RO Dracula: Proposed version for Romania.
• AH-1Z King Cobra: AH-1Z offered for Turkey's ATAK program; selected for production in 2000, but later canceled when Bell and Turkey could not reach an agreement on production.
• Panha 2091: Unlicensed Iranian upgrade of AH-1J International.
• IAIO Toufan: Iranian copy/re-manufactured AH-1J International by Iran Aviation Industries Organization, with locally sourced avionics, and weapons.

Users

• Republic of China
  • Republic of China Army
• Iran
  • Imperial Iranian Army/Islamic Republic of Iran Army
• Turkey
  • Turkish Army
• United States
  • United States Army