Army and Weapons | Deadly Bell AH-1Z Viper | The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a twin engine attack helicopter based on the AH-1W Super Cobra, which was developed for the United States Marine Corps. The AH-1Z has a four-blade, bearingless, composite main rotor system, upgraded transmission and a new objective observation system. The AH-1Z is part of the H-1 upgrade program. It is also called "Zulu Cobra" in reference to the letter version.
Aspects of the AH-1Z are from the Bell 249 in 1979, which in fact was an AH-1S fitted with four-blade main rotor system of the Bell 412. This helicopter appears Bell's Cobra II design at the Farnborough Airshow in 1980. The Cobra II was equipped with Hellfire missiles, a new targeting system and improved engines. Later, the Cobra 2000 proposal, that General Electric T700 engine and a four-blade rotor included. This design attracted interest from the U.S. Marine Corps, but money was not available. In 1993, Bell AH-1W proposed based on the new version of the British attack helicopter program. The derived design, called cobra venom, characterized by a modern digital cockpit and could ribbons, Hellfire or Brimstone missile to wear. The cobra venom design was adapted in 1995 by changing to a four-blade rotor system. The design lost to the AH-64D later that year, however
The AH-1Z incorporates new technology with improved rotor military avionics, weapons systems, and electro-optical sensors in an integrated weapons platform. It has an improved survival and long-range goals to find and attack them with precision weapons.
New bearingless the AH-1Z's, depended less rotor system has 75% fewer parts than the four-bladed articulated systems. The blades are made of composites, which increased ballistic survivability, and there is a semi-automatic folding system for storage aboard amphibious assault ships. The two redesigned wing stubs are longer, with each adding a wing-tip station for a missile like the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Each wing has two other stations for 2.75-inch (70 mm) Hydra 70 rocket pods, or AGM-114 Hellfire quad missile launchers. The Longbow radar can also be mounted on a wing station.
The Z model of the integrated avionics system (IAS) was developed by Northrop Grumman. The system includes two mission computers and an automatic system. Each crew station has two 8x6-inch multifunction liquid crystal displays (LCD) and a 4.2x4.2-inch dual function LCD display. The Communications Suite combines U.S. Navy RT-1824 integrated radio, UHF / VHF, COMSEC and modem in one unit. The navigation suite includes an integrated GPS-inertial navigation system (EGI), a digital map and a low velocity air data subsystem, which supplies the weapons available in the float.
The crew are equipped with the Thales "Top Owl" helmet-mounted sight and display system. The Top Owl has a 24-hour day / night capabilities and a binocular display with a 40 ° field. His visor projection provides a look Infrared (FLIR) or video images. The AH-1Z has survivability equipment including the Hover Infrared Suppression System (HIRS) to cover the engine exhausts, countermeasure dispensers, radar warning, incoming / on-road and on-body missile warning laser spot warning systems.
The Lockheed Martin target sight system (TSS) has third-generation FLIR sensor. The TSS provides target detection in day, night or adverse weather conditions. The system has several display modes, and can track with FLIR or TV. The same system is used on the UH-1Y Venom and the KC-130J Harvest Hawk
Helicopter Specification:
First flight: December 8, 2000
Engines: two General Electric T700-401 *
Speed: 143 kts
Combat radius: 2716 lbs load with hot days: 110 nm
Weight: Empty: £ 12,300 - Maximum: 18500
Manoeuvrability: -0.5 to 2.8 g's 16 m
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