AH-1 Cobra
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Revision as of 18:52, 19 March 2009 by Howard C. Berkowitz (Talk | contribs)

The first purpose-built attack helicopter was the AH-1 Cobra, originally developed for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Typical armament included 2.75" unguided rockets on pylons, with a chin turret containing either two 20mm M61 Vulcan autocannon, two 40mm automatic grenade launchers, or one of each. They also could carry the BGM-71 TOW antitank missile
A much-modernized version is in use with the U.S. Marine Corps, which replaced the TOW with the AGM-114 Hellfire, and can also carry AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for self-defense against aircraft and helicopters.