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Bell AH-1W Supercobra

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Before Taiwan acquired the AH-1W, the ROCA had used the UH-1H fitted with 2.75-in rocket launchers to fulfill the gunship role. Then in 1991, Taiwan requested the purchase of 18 AH-1W and 12 OH-58D from the U.S. under the program codenamed "Lu Peng", to improve the attack capability of ROCA's helicopter fleet. The letter of acceptance was signed in February 1992 and nine were delivered to ROCA in April 1993, thus making Taiwan the second foreign operator of the Supercobra (Turkey is the first). Along with these helicopters, 1000 AGM-114C Hellfire anti-tank missiles and about 300 AIM-9S Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were also ordered. By April 1995, Taiwan had ordered another three batches of eight AH-1W, bringing the total ordered to 42. These helicopters were to equip to two attack helicopter groups. In 1997, Taiwan made another request for 21 additional AH-1W to equip the third group. The contract for the first 9 helicopters was awarded on October 3, and that for the remaining 12 on December 19. Delivery of all 21 AH-1W had been completed in 2001. During their service with the ROCA, Taiwan's AH-1W had been retrofitted with NTSF-65 Night Targeting System (NTS) and the AN/ALQ-144 infrared countermeasure system. In the spring of 1999, two AH-1W helicopter simulators, worth almost $7 million, were ordered from Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation for training the crew. The Ministry of National Defense initiated an extensive re-organization program in 1997, resulting in the establishment of Air Cavalry Brigades in the ROCA. The AH-1W are now assigned to the Attack Helicopter Battalion in each Brigade. 601st Air Cavalry Brigade Attack Battalion, 601st Air Cavalry Brigade 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade Attack Battalion, 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade Aviation Training Command Attack Battalion, Aviation Training Center Fleet Images 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 (Photo by Jason Tu) 548 549 (Photo by Jason Tu) 550 (Photo by Jason Tu) 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 Fleet Information Tail No. Serial No. Constr. No. Remark 501 164913 26701 502 164914 26703 503 164915 26704 504 164916 26705 505 164917 26706 506 164918 26707 507 164919 26708 508 164920 26709 509 164921 26710 510 164922 26711 511 164923 26712 512 164924 26713 513 164925 26714 514 164926 26715 515 164927 26716 516 164928 26717 517 164929 26718 518 164930 26719 519 164931 26720 520 164932 26721 521 164933 26722 522 164934 26723 523 164935 26724 524 164936 26725 525 164937 26726 526 164938 26727 w/o 07/17/991 527 165334 26728 528 165335 26729 529 165336 26730 530 165337 26731 531 165338 26732 532 165339 26733 Tail No. Serial No. Constr. No. Remark 533 165340 26734 534 165341 26735 535 165370 536 165371 537 165372 538 165373 539 165374 540 165375 541 165376 542 165377 543 165545 544 165546 545 165547 546 165548 547 165549 548 165550 549 165551 550 165552 551 165553 552 165554 553 165555 554 165556 555 165557 556 165558 557 165559 558 165560 559 165561 560 165562 561 165563 562 165564 563 165565 1During a training mission on July 17, 1999, AH-1W 526, assigned to the 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade, deviated from its designated course without authorization and subsequently crashed into a dam. The crew of two were both killed. The wreckage was salvaged on August 9. Details & Weapons Left: The front view of the AH-1W shows a distinctive bulged cheek, which houses the BGM-71 TOW missile system avionics. From left to right, this AH-1W carries a 4-round AGM-114 Hellfire missile launcher, an M260 rocket launcher, an M261 rocket launcher, and a 4-round TOW missile launcher. Barely noticeable in the cockpit is the heads-up display for the pilot. Right: In the AH-1W the co-pilot/gunner occupies the front cockpit, while the pilot sits in the rear armored seat. Left: The NTSF-65 Night Targeting System (NTS) is a modification of the M-65 daytime sighting system. It comprises a FLIR, CCD TV, and laser designator/rangefinder. Along with the NTS upgrade, Taiwan's early AH-1W received the Cockpit Canopy Modification that replaced canopy, nose section, and front instrument panel. Under the NTS turret is the M197 three-barrel 20-mm rotary cannon. 750 rounds are carried aft the M197 turret. The maximum rate of fire is 650 per minute, although the gun is limited to single bursts of 16 rounds. Right: The binocular sight for the NTS is located in the front cockpit. To the left of it are the control switches. Left: At the root of the tail is the rear radar warning receiver. The tail protection skid also can be seen. Right: Taiwan ordered 1000 AGM-114C Hellfire missiles in 1992 and 240 AGM-114K3 Hellfire II in 1999, to equip both AH-1W and OH-58D. Hellfires can fired by either the gunner or the pilot from the AH-1W. Note that the four inert rounds retain the U.S. Army markings. Left: The AGM-114 missile launcher and the M260 7-tube 70-mm (2.75-in) rocket launcher under the starboard stub wing. On top of the stub wing is the AN/ALE-39 chaff/flare dispenser for passive self-defense. The navigation light and an NVG formation light can be seen on the wingtip. Right: The M261 19-tube rocket launcher and the BGM-71 missile launcher under the port stub wing.

Last update: 11/22/2008 TaiwanAirPower > Army > Top