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United States Legacy Bell
AH-1W Super Cobra
A twin-engine evolution of the original single-engine AH-1 Cobra, developed for the U.S. Marine Corps with uprated engines and updated avionics for shipboard and expeditionary operations. It was the Marine Corps' primary attack helicopter until being replaced by the AH-1Z Viper.
In service since 1986 · 4 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
352
km/h
587
km range
3,720
m ceiling
1,497
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 4 operators
In service since 1986. Status: legacy · ~179 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 352 km/h Top 6% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 277 km/h Stronger than 86% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 587 km Stronger than 40% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 3,720 m Stronger than 13% of helicopters
- Rate of climb
How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.
- 9 m/s Stronger than 16% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 4 Stronger than 41% of helicopters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 1,497 kg Stronger than 46% of helicopters
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Crashworthy crew seats with limited armor protection
- Countermeasures
Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.
- AN/AAR-47 missile warning system, AN/ALE-39 chaff/flare dispenser
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 17.68 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 4.11 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 4,633 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 6,690 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x General Electric T700-GE-401 turboshaft, 1690 hp each
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 1,690 hp Stronger than 43% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- AN/AAQ-22 Nite Eagle/Hawkeye targeting sight, night-vision-compatible cockpit
- Thermal imaging
Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.
- Yes
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 179 Stronger than 43% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 4 Stronger than 58% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Bell and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra has a maximum speed of 352 km/h.
What is the range of the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra has a maximum range of 587 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra can carry up to 1,497 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra weigh? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra has a combat weight of 6,690 kg.
How many crew does the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra require? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra's primary weapon is the 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon.
What engine does the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra use? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra is powered by the 2x General Electric T700-GE-401 turboshaft, 1690 hp each.
What is the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra used for? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra? +
The Bell AH-1W Super Cobra is operated by 4 countries.
How much does the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra cost? +
Bell AH-1W Super Cobra: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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