On 10/2/2010 12:55 AM, wrote:
On Oct 1, 2:46 pm, Daryl wrote:
On 10/1/2010 3:05 PM, wrote:



"The US Marine Corps has finally cleared
the Bell Helicopter AH-1Z Viper for operations,
only a few weeks ahead of a decision to
launch full-rate production.

Declared "operationally effective and suitable"
on 29 September, the AH-1Z programme can
close the book on a protracted, four-year
operational evaluation (OPEVAL) process
delayed by reliability and technical glitches."

See:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...usmc-declares-...

It's finally here! Will this be the last of the
Cobra line? Or will they start over again at
AH-1AA, AH-1BB........etc.?

A few years ago, I witnessed a mock fight between the New Apache
and the old AH-1U. Short fight. The Cobra ran rampant over the
Apache. It's quicker, nimbler, smaller, etc.. and still packs
quite a whollop. I think it was a mistake for the Army to rely
almost soley on the Apaches when a cheaper AH-1 can do pretty
much the same job. Of course, they've asked the Apache to do
much more than it really should and have gotten off pretty lucky
a couple of times but it's going to bite them again.


Didn't the Army prefer the Apache because it's mast-mounted
radar allowed it to fire at tanks from behind hills and such?

Actually the Longbow masthead contains a radar that is used to hand
off to Hellfire that can fly over the hill behind which the Apache is
lurking. It can also be used to recce before the Apache pops up and uses
other weapons.

http://www.jolly-rogers.com/airpower/ah-64d/64d-av.htm

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired