What are Those Black Helicopters?

In article , Kevin
Brooks wrote:

Only the USMC is still operating the Cobra here in the states, IIRC
(though I do recall that one or two might have been handed over to the
USFS for fire observation duties?).

Not true. The Minnesota National Guard, 3rd Battalion, 147th
Aviation Regiment, based at the St Paul airport, has 24 AH-1F
Cobras in their inventory. They fly regularly. They do have
plans to covert to the Apache, as the US Army plans to phase
out the Cobra by the end of 2004.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

"John A. Weeks III" wrote in message ...
In article , Kevin
Brooks wrote:

Only the USMC is still operating the Cobra here in the states, IIRC
(though I do recall that one or two might have been handed over to the
USFS for fire observation duties?).

Not true. The Minnesota National Guard, 3rd Battalion, 147th
Aviation Regiment, based at the St Paul airport, has 24 AH-1F
Cobras in their inventory. They fly regularly. They do have
plans to covert to the Apache, as the US Army plans to phase
out the Cobra by the end of 2004.

Still flying? Last I heard the ARNG was able to extend the Cobras'
lifetime, but not this far out:

"Develop a timeline for the retirement and divestment of AH-1 Cobras
and UH-1 Hueys, with divestment of the Cobras no later than 2001 and
the Hueys no later than 2004."

That was the tasking from the CSA back in Dec 2000
(www.ngaus.org/newsroom/cobradelay12400.asp ).

Brooks



-john-