Two universal stations under each stub
wing can carry 2.75in (70mm) rockets in
7-tube LAU-68 or 19-tube LAU-61 launchers,
one AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile or
M299 Hell re missile launcher. The latter
con guration allows the AH-1Z to carry up
to 16 laser-guided AGM-114 missiles. Twostations, located on the stub wing tips, can
carry AIM-9 missiles
The AH-1W’s turret system is retained
along with the M197 20mm cannon and 750
rounds of ammunition. Controllable from
either crew station, the turret is operated
in xed, TSS/gun or HMS/D mode and thecannon res at a rate of up to 1,500 rounds
per minute.TESTING AND PRODUCTION
Assembly of the AH-1Z prototypes began
in April 1999 and the initial Viper turned
its new four-blade rotor for the rst time at
the contractor’s Flight Research Center in
Arlington, Texas, on September 6, 2000.
Zulu 1 ew for the rst time in Arlington on
December 8 and, after ying 59.9 hours,
shifted to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland in
April 2001.
Zulu 1 retained the AH-1W avionics and
was primarily tasked with envelope expansion,
handling qualities and structural ight testing.
Although testing continued at Pax River with
the H-1 Upgrades Integrated Test Team,
issues were discovered and associated
design modi cations caused delays with ight
testing. The third prototype ew for the rst
time at Pax River on August 26, 2002 and
was followed by the number two aircraft on
October 4.
Although it was primarily centred at the
Maryland base, testing was carried out at
other several other locations, including Naval
Air Weapons Station China Lake, California,
and the US Army Yuma Proving Ground in
Arizona.
The programme faced cancellation when
it was revealed in April 2002 that costs had
jumped almost 49% and would exceed its
$3.7bn budget by more than 15%. Following
a thorough review, the Department of Defense
allowed the project to proceed.
Initial sea trials were conducted aboard
the USS Bataan (LHD 5) in May 2005 and
development testing was completed in
February 2006.
Low-rate initial production began at Bell’s
Military Aircraft Assembly and Delivery Center
in Amarillo, Texas, in October 2003. Delivery
of the rst production AH-1Z followed on
January 25, 2007 – two years later than
originally planned.
The programme originally included
remanufacturing 180 AH-1Ws to AH-1Z
con guration. However, in 2008 the decision
was made to build 58 new aircraft and
reduce the number of remanufactured aircraft
accordingly.
In February 2008, Bell Helicopterhttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 25US MARINE CORPS UNITS
1st MAW – MCB Camp Smedley D Butler, Okinawa, Japan
MAG-24 – MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
HMLA-367 Scarface MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii AH-1W/Z VT
2nd MAW – MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina
MAG-26 – MCAS New River, North Carolina
HMLA-167 Warriors MCAS New River, North Carolina AH-1W TV
HMLA-269 Gunrunners MCAS New River, North Carolina AH-1W HF
3rd MAW – MCAS Miramar, California
MAG-39 – MCAS Camp Pendleton, California
HMLA-169 Vipers MCAS Camp Pendleton, California AH-1Z SN
HMLA-267 Stingers MCAS Camp Pendleton, California AH-1Z UV
HMLA-369 Gun ghters MCAS Camp Pendleton, California AH-1Z SM
HMLAT-303 Atlas MCAS Camp Pendleton, California AH-1W/Z QT
4th MAW – NSA New Orleans, Louisiana
MAG-41 – NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
HMLA-775(-) Coyotes MCAS Camp Pendleton, California AH-1W WR
MAG-49 Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
HMLA-773(-) Red Dog JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst AH-1W WG
HMLA-773 Det. A Red Dog South NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana AH-1W MMUS NAVY UNITS
Commander Naval Air Systems Command (COMNAVAIRSYSCOM) – NAS Patuxent
River, Maryland
Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) – NAS Patuxent River, Maryland
Commander, Naval Test Wing Paci c – NAS Patuxent River, Maryland
HX-21 Blackjack NAS Patuxent River, Maryland AH-1W/Z HX
Commander Operational Test & Evaluation Force (COMTEVFOR) – NS Norfolk,
Virginia
Aviation Warfare Division – NS Norfolk, Virginia
VMX-22 Argonauts MCAS Yuma, Arizona AH-1W/Z MV1 HMLA-367 will begin transition to AH-1Z in late FY 2017.
2 HMLA-167 will begin transition to the AH-1Z in late FY 2018.
3 HMLA-269 will begin transition to the AH-1Z in FY 2019.
4 HMLA-775 was reactivated in October 2016.
5 HX-21 is a US Navy squadron that is jointly staffed by Navy and Marine Corps personnelAn AH-1Z and UH-1Ys of VMM-163 (Reinforced) operating from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) during Exercise Alligator
Dagger. The exercise is designed to provide an opportunity for the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
to train in amphibious operations within the US 5th Fleet area of operations. US Navy/Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Amanda ChavezKey:
HMLA Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron
HMLAT Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron
HX Air Test & Evaluation Squadron
JB Joint Base
JRB Joint Reserve Base
MAG Marine Aircraft Group
MAW Marine Aircraft WingMCAS Marine Corps Air Station
MCB Marine Corps Base
NAS Naval Air Station
NS Naval Station
NSA Naval Support Activity
VMX Marine Air Test & Evaluation Squadron
(-) is not a full squadron22-26_ah1zDC.mfDC.mf.indd 25 05/01/2018 14:01