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Defense News - United States
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Sunday,
June 19, 2011, 09:17 AM |
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| The
latest version of US Marine Corps attack helicopter AH-1Z
Zulu ready for combat mission. |
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The
latest version of U.S. Marine Corps attack helicopter AH-1Z
Zulu will be ready to be deploy for its first combat mission
at the end of 2011. Bell Helicopter Company , a Textron
Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced March 14, 2011, that
the U.S. Marine Corps' newest attack helicopter, the AH-1Z
Cobra, achieved Initial Operating Capability ahead of schedule
in February, 2011.
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Latest version
of combat helicopter for US Marine Corp AH-1Z Zulu
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The
U.S. Marine Corps is replacing the two-bladed AH-1W with
the AH-1Z Zulu, which features a new, four-bladed composite
rotor system, performance-matched transmission, four-bladed
tail rotor, two additional wing stores stations on larger
stub wings, upgraded landing gear and a fully integrated
glass cockpit. The AH-1Z will see a 120% increase mission
radius with attack payload over the AH-1W.
As part
of the H-1 Upgrade Program, the AH-1Z Zulu replaces the
currently fielded AH-1W. The AH-1Z Zulu will serve a primary
role in assault support, offensive air support and air reconnaissance.
The Zulu will play a supporting role in anti-air warfare,
electronic warfare, and control of aircraft and missiles.
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The
AH-1Z Zulu will serve a primary role in assault support,
offensive air support and
air reconnaissance. |
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The H-1 Upgrade Program offers 84 percent
commonality of major component parts between the AH-1Z Zulu
and UH-1Y utility helicopters. This commonality reduces
lifecycle and training costs and decreases the expeditionary
logistics footprint for both aircraft.
The
new Zulus feature 10,000 flight-hour airframes, a new four-bladed
rotor system with semi-automatic blade fold of the new composite
rotor blades, new performance matched transmissions, a new
four-bladed tail rotor and drive system, upgraded landing
gear, and pylon structural modifications. This will help
the new Zulu to achieve a 39% increase in HOGE useful load
over its predecessor. The Zulu also incorporates modernized,
fully integrated cockpits/avionics that will reduce operator
work load while improving situational awareness while being
able to carry 32% more fuel.
The
AH-1Z Zulu is equipped with two General Electric T700-GE-401
series engines and greatly increased lift capability and
stores capacity, giving it a significantly greater ordnance
payload for future growth potential. The primary weapon
system is the Hellfire missile. It is fully shipboard compatible,
and capable of operating from prepared or unprepared landing
sites, day or night.
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