By Mike Barton
Public Affairs Specialist

A Marine helicopter arrived here recently heavily armed with a new mission for depot artisans.

An AH-1W Super Cobra arrived on the depot flight line April 8 as the first of many that are scheduled for transition into the new AH-1Z. The “Z” model is the attack helicopter component of the U.S. Marine Corps’ H-1 upgrade program to remanufacture the existing AH-1W Super Cobra and the UH-1N twin-engine Huey into the AH-1Z and UH-1Y configurations.

The first step of that remanufacture will be handled by artisans here when they tear down the older models and package the reusable components into kits for shipment to the Bell Helicopter facility located in Amarillo, Texas.

According to Chuck Morris, an H-1 business planning rep here, the depot is scheduled to start with four aircraft this fiscal year, move up to seven next year, and eventually increase the number each year until reaching a peak of 46 aircraft in FY 2012. The program is scheduled to run through FY 2015.

In all, 100 Hueys and 180 Cobras are scheduled for work here. In terms of people, Morris said, “There would be in the neighborhood of 100 people involved here when the program reaches its peak.”

The Hueys will be broken down into smaller components than the Cobras, which will leave here with more of their fuselage intact, said Morris, but each will be shipped out in eight packages. The process will involve removal of parts that will be used in the remanufactured models, and repair, refurbishment or replacement of those parts. “We have to bring each part into ‘condition of supply’ before we pass it to Bell,” said Morris. The components of the helicopter that arrived here April 8 are scheduled to be delivered to the manufacturer by Sept. 28.

Improvements incorporated in the upgrade at Bell include a more powerful General Electric T700 engine, a four-bladed, all-composite, hingeless and bearingless main rotor system and tail rotor, as well as identical drive trains, hydraulics and electrical distribution systems.

By using common systems – the two aircraft will be approximately 85 percent identical – the cost of logistics support for both will be dramatically reduced and will allow for vastly improved shipboard operability. Far less critical shipboard space will be needed to store spare parts and support equipment.

Advanced technology will provide the H-1 fleet with increased battlefield survivability aimed at greater mission success with fewer combat losses. In addition, the crashworthiness of both the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z will be improved.

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Cutline: The first AH-1W Super Cobra that will be dismantled for the new H-1 program arrives on the depot flight line April 8. In all, 280 Cobras and UH-1N Hueys are slated for work here. (Photo by Mike Barton)