AH-1E Cobra helicopter gunship.

Such helicopter gunships have been around since the sixties. After all, it was the Army's dream to give wings to the Army.

In 55 years, in the Vietnam War, helicopters participated in combat for the first time, and the U.S. Army equipped the Bell UH-1 "Huey" transport helicopter with weapons for attack missions, thus becoming the first helicopter in the history of the Army to directly participate in combat.

However, at that time only the question of whether there was or did it was solved, after all, even if the power of the engine was increased, such an aircraft was not specifically designed for combat, its speed was slow, its firepower was not strong, and it had no armor protection, and its survivability was obviously insufficient. Therefore, the United States Army urgently needs to quickly provide a high-speed, heavily armoured, heavy fire helicopter gunship to provide escort for troop carriers along the route or to provide infantry with aerial suppression fire in advance.

This is the origin of the gunship, after some selection, the US Army chose Lockheed's AH-56 "Cheyenne". However, the accuracy of such aircraft was slow, and the US Army began a transitional military tender. In the end, Bell won and submitted the Model 209 proposal to the Army.

It is an improvement from the UH-1 and uses a large number of UH-1 systems, including the T-58 turbine engine, transmission system, and balanced two-blade main tail rotor system, which reduces risk and cost. However, there are also special features of helicopter gunships, such as a narrow fuselage, tandem double cockpit, nose cannon, weapons on both sides of the fuselage mounted short wings, single engines, fixed landing skid and other designs, and finally, this aircraft was finalized and put into use by the army, which is now the AH-1 Cobra gunship.

(The U.S. Army is very strange, the Air Force is firmly opposed to the Army being able to fly, and restricts all kinds of rules and regulations to the Army, and in memory, the Army even used a propeller aircraft for ground support, which can avoid the restrictions of the Air Force.) ）

After this helicopter gunship was finalized, it began to be widely used and exported to the outside world at the same time, and now the island country also purchased the first one at the beginning of the year.

Yes, the island nation's actions are considered late.

Helicopter gunships are tank killers, this is still the conclusion of later generations, now, how much of a role gunships can play on the battlefield, no one knows, especially when two powerful armored groups face each other, can helicopter gunships play?

The island country is suspicious of this, so it has not taken action until now, and it is only now that it can be regarded as a purchase.

This was used for testing, and if it was suitable, the island nation decided to produce it, and in later generations, after the island nation had been evaluated, Fuji Heavy Industries produced 89 AH-1Fs under license, and installed T53-K-703 turboshaft engines produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries under license. Compared with other equipment, this kind of gunship is definitely a small amount.

However, today, after midnight, the first helicopter gunship of the Self-Defense Forces of the island nation completely saved the fate of the entire Hokkaido occupied by the Soviets.

Saburo Matsushita sat in the front of the weapon operations officer, while behind him was the pilot Ozawa. Unlike the deployment of fighter jets, for helicopter gunships, the rear seat is the pilot, the seat is raised, the front seat is the weapon operator, and the front view is the best, so as to ensure that he can operate the weapon well.

At about ten o'clock in the night, they received an order from their superiors, who analyzed that the Soviets might use armored forces to cross the Daisetsuzan National Park and sneak attack the Chitose base.

For this judgment, they would have been unimpressed, were the Soviets crazy? How could you go deep alone, and moreover, through the snowy mountains? Is that what tank units do? The transport plane is about the same.

Although they didn't think so, the situation in Hokkaido was already quite dangerous, so they set off anyway, and they flew around the snowy mountains for hours in the dark, and now they were about to return because of fuel problems.

"We're running out of fuel." Ozawa said in the back compartment, "We have to go back, let the land personnel come here to investigate." ”

Of course, it can't just rely on their helicopter, and the ground personnel are searching here, and now, it's time for them to return.

"Wait, what's up ahead?" At this moment, Matsushita Saburo's tone was filled with surprise: "Ahead, there is a tank unit there!" ”

In this era, there is no advanced infrared imaging device, and the night vision device is just an ordinary low-light night vision device, but in this clear night sky, the effect of the low-light night vision device is quite good.

In his night vision device, Matsushita Saburo saw that on the mountainside in front of him, there were tanks moving, and he didn't find out just now, because they came from the valley, and the helicopter was afraid of encountering mountain turbulence, so he didn't dare to fly into the valley in the dark, and now, the other party actually appeared in this position, and it looked like he was about to cross the snowy mountain!

It was so terrifying that almost at the same time as he found out, Matsushita Saburo's hand began to quickly flip the switches one by one, activating the Tao anti-tank missiles mounted under the short wings on both sides.

As a helicopter gunship, of course, it needs a variety of weapon systems, and for any helicopter gunship, the first fixed weapon is the cannon under the nose.

The current AH-1E is equipped with the AH-1J's universal turret and a 20mm M197 cannon, which may not be able to penetrate the opponent's tank from the top, even if it uses tungsten alloy armor-piercing shells.

Therefore, the only weapons they can use are the pylons on both sides.

Helicopters don't need wings, they rely on the large plate at the top to provide lift, but gunships do, because this short wing is used to hang weapons.

The most common weapon is the multiple rocket launch nest, the most common Cobra helicopter is the 70 mm rocket launch nest, and at the same time, as a special anti-tank weapon, it can also be equipped with anti-tank missiles.

With this take-off, they had a difficult task, both to search for targets and strike after they were discovered, but taking into account the complex situation in the mountains, they also did not hang according to the maximum loadout, and now, there are only four Tao anti-tank missiles on each side.

The maximum payload is eight on each side, but the power system of the helicopter will be greatly affected.

Although the helicopter was used for testing, it had a well-developed weapon system, and the two crew members had carried out special target shooting, and they began weapon testing a month ago.

At that time, there were more than a dozen missiles in their hands, and the results were not bad, and now, they came in handy so quickly!