US Delivers Cobra Helicopter Gunships to Pakistan

Islamabad, March 16 – In a move that is likely to raise temperatures across the border, the US has delivered a squadron of 14 AH-1 Cobra advanced helicopter gunships to Pakistan.

The US has also given $750,000 to update Pakistan Army Aviation’s current fleet of Cobra variants like AH-1S, AH-1F, Online news agency reported, quoting sources.

Pakistan has also been assured it would receive the latest AH-1Z variant in phases by 2015, the sources added.

The AH-1 has been supplied by the US America from its Jordan Air Base stock.

The twin blade, single engined gunships have a crew of two, comprising a pilot and a co-pilot or a gunner.

The helicopter is equipped with two 7.62mm multi-barrel guns, two 40mm guns and grenade launchers and can also be equipped with 70mm rockets.

The helicopters, which can fly at a speed of 352 km per hour, weigh 2,754 kilograms.

Posted by Vamban on Mar 16, 2010 @ 10:36 PM Filed under Pakistan, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry