Ah 1 Cobra Helicopter

A Marine AH-1 Cobra helicopter crashed during a noncombat escort mission in Saudi Arabia, killing its crew of two, military officials said Sunday. The jet-powered aircraft, with a speed of 141 m.p.h., is designed to fly low and close to friendly troops and destroy enemy tanks and other armor. The TOW missile system is fitted with a telescopic sight that enables the gunner to "see" in the dark and offers round-the-clock combat capability. Armament: Eight optically guided TOW anti-tank missiles.

The Apache AH-64 and Cobra AH-1 are anti-armor attack helicopters with day and night flying capability. The Apache, used by the Army, and the Cobra, used by the Marines, both carry a crew of two. The Cobra, with two rotor blades, is a much older craft than the four-blade Apache. These helicopters, which are likened to flying artillery, act in close coordination with ground forces. They can be called in on short notice to deal with any obstacle or challenge.

The Apache AH-64 and Cobra AH-1 are anti-armor attack helicopters with day and night flying capability. The Apache, used by the Army, and the Cobra, used by the Marines, both carry a crew of two. The Cobra, with two rotor blades, is a much older craft than the four-blade Apache. These helicopters, which are likened to flying artillery, act in close coordination with ground forces. They can be called in on short notice to deal with any obstacle or challenge.

A Marine AH-1 Cobra helicopter crashed during a noncombat escort mission in Saudi Arabia, killing its crew of two, military officials said Sunday. The jet-powered aircraft, with a speed of 141 m.p.h., is designed to fly low and close to friendly troops and destroy enemy tanks and other armor. The TOW missile system is fitted with a telescopic sight that enables the gunner to "see" in the dark and offers round-the-clock combat capability. Armament: Eight optically guided TOW anti-tank missiles.

The Army has completed inspecting a grounded fleet of 750 AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunships and returned them to service after replacing more than 100 main rotor blade fittings, a spokesman said. The last inspection was completed Jan. 29 "and all of the copters are back on line," said Jim Wittmeyer, a spokesman for the Army's Aviation Systems Command.

The United States has ended its search in the Persian Gulf for the two crewmen and their Marine helicopter and the men were officially declared missing, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said today. Iran claimed it hit the helicopter gunship, sending it plunging afire into the Persian Gulf Monday after U.S. forces launched assaults on Iranian oil platforms and fighting erupted between U.S. and Iranian forces. The helicopter was presumed to have crashed Monday, Pentagon officials said.

An American pilot was killed Tuesday when his U.S. Army helicopter crashed 30 miles west of Cairo during U.S.-Egyptian military exercises, the Defense Department said. An Egyptian military observer aboard the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter was injured. The Pentagon said the cause of the crash has not been determined.

McDonnell Douglas Wins Netherlands Order: The Royal Netherlands Air Force agreed to buy 30 AH-64D Apache military helicopters made by McDonnell Douglas Corp., a contract valued at $648 million. Dutch air force officials signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the U.S. government for the armed helicopters. The Dutch Parliament selected the helicopters last month after an evaluation that included Textron Inc.'

Five Southern California bass are mobilizing troops and equipment for a coordinated deployment to the Persian Gulf. The forces are part of the 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, a rapid-deployment force that combines air, land, naval and amphibious units. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Marines from El Toro and Tustin are reportedly committed to the Middle East deployment, known as Operation Desert Shield.

The North: The allied presence in Mosul, Irbil and Kirkuk is reinforced by 173rd Airborne Brigade and the arrival of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Operations remain focused on finding regime leaders and searching key facilities. Special operations and conventional forces spread throughout the northern oil fields have secured all the fields. One oil fire is still burning.

The U.S. Coast Guard says a Navy helicopter has crashed off the Southern California coast. Petty Officer Henry Dunphy said the Navy reported the crash about 7 p.m. on Thursday. The helicopter went down about 17 miles east of San Clemente Island, the farthest south of the Channel Islands. Coast Guard and Navy vessels are searching for the helicopter. Dunphy said he did not have any other details about the crash.

Military investigators Thursday continued searching for what caused an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter to crash during a routine night training flight early Wednesday, killing two Marine fliers. A Camp Pendleton spokesman, Gunnery Sgt. Dave Marriott, said it may be weeks before the cause of the crash is determined. He said it is still not known whether the pilot was wearing night vision goggles, which are suspected of causing other military aircraft mishaps. The victims were Lt. Col. David A.