United States being loaded on an AH-1W's stub wing During the closing months of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, the Marine Corps embarked the AH-1J SeaCobra assigned to HMA-369 (now HMLA-369) aboard , , and later , for sea-based interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in North Vietnam in the vicinity of Hon La (Tiger) Island. These were termed Marine Hunter-Killer (MARHUK) Operations and lasted from June to December 1972. As such, the type participated in the final American combat operations in Vietnam. Several AH-1Js were present to cover the
evacuation of the US Embassy in Saigon in April 1975. During 1983, Marine Cobras took part in the
invasion of Grenada. They were typically used to perform close air support and helicopter escort missions; a total of two AH-1Ts were shot down and three crew members killed. In this theatre, the AH-1s were typically armed with Sidewinder missiles and guns, which were intended to be used as an emergency air defense measure to counter the threat of light civil aircraft being piloted by
suicide bombers. During the mid-1980s, the AH-1W variant entered service with the USMC. Between, 1986 to 1999, the service took delivery of 179 Super Cobras. It was during these missions that Cobras sank three Iranian
patrol boats while losing a single AH-1T to Iranian anti-aircraft fire. While no combat losses were reportedly incurred, three AH-1s were lost to accidents either during or after the combat operations. The AH-1W units were credited with destroying 97 tanks, 104 armored personnel carriers and vehicles, and two anti-aircraft artillery sites during the 100-hour ground campaign. USMC Cobras were also used in various other operations throughout the 1990s. During the twenty-first century, USMC Cobras participated in
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in
Operation Iraqi Freedom in the
conflict in Iraq. While new replacement aircraft were considered as an alternative to major upgrades of the AH-1 fleet, Marine Corps studies showed that an upgrade was the most affordable, most supportable and most effective solution for the Marine Corps light attack helicopter mission. During the opening phase of the
2003 invasion of Iraq, SuperCobras were deployed on the front lines, often flying in hunter-killer teams with Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopters and other coalition aircraft. Reportedly, 46 of the 58 USMC AH-1s deployed sustained battle damage, which was mostly from infantry-type weapons. AH-1Ws were involved in the rescue of
Private First Class Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital. In late August 2016, Marine AH-1W Cobras flying from started flying combat missions over
Sirte, Libya against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya, providing close air support for friendly militias on the ground. In the later stages of the operation, AH-1Ws flew combat missions from the deck of after that ship replaced
Wasp in October 2016. In October 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps retired the last of its AH-1Ws after 34 years of service, having replacing the type with the Bell AH-1Z Viper. By the time of their retirement, the model had collectively accumulated 933,614 flight hours.
Iran AH-1J Cobra In 1971,
Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This model featured improvements such as the uprated
P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a strengthened drivetrain. Furthermore, recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm
M197 gun turret, while the gunner was provided with a stabilized sight along with a stabilized seat. Of the AH-1Js operated by the
Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were capable of using the
TOW missile. Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in
Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their
Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: they equipped the AH-1Js with
AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. Starting from October 1980, the AH-1Js engaged in
air-to-air combat with Iraqi
Mil Mi-24 helicopters on several, separate occasions during the Iran–Iraq War. The results of these engagements are disputed. One document cited that Iranian AH-1Js took on Iraqi
Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. Sources report that the Iranian AH-1 pilots achieved a 10:1 kill ratio over the Iraqi helicopter pilots during these engagements (1:5). Additionally, one source states that ten Iranian AH-1Js were lost in the war, compared to six Iraqi Mi-24s lost. The skirmishes are described as fairly evenly matched in another source. The Mi-24 was faster and more powerful, but the AH-1J was more agile. There were even engagements between Iranian AH-1Js and Iraqi fixed-wing aircraft. The AH-1Js scored three confirmed kills against
MiG-21s, claimed a
Su-20, and shared in the destruction of a
MiG-23—all using their 20 mm M197 cannon. During early 1984, an Iranian AH-1J Sea Cobra was shot down by an Iraqi
Pilatus PC-7 during
Operation Kheibar (Iranian pilots Reza Moghadam and Mohammad Yazdi were rescued). About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear. that had strayed into western Afghan airspace. Into the twenty-first century, Iranian AH-1Js remain in service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation and have undergone indigenous
upgrade programs. In 2010, Iran has unveiled its own AH-1J variants called Toufan I. In 2013, another improved variant called
Toufan II was unveiled. By the 2020s, there was an increasing expectation that, amid a combination of factors such as accumulated
fatigue, increasingly outdated capabilities, and a shortage of spare components, Iran will probably seek to replace its AH-1Js before too long, possibly with Russian-sourced Mi-24s. On 18 June 2025, during the
Twelve-Day War, the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it destroyed eight AH-1s at a military airbase in
Kermanshah.
Taiwan During 1984,
Taiwan announced its requirement for attack helicopters; it subsequently evaluated the
MBB Bo 105 and
MD 500 helicopters. The requirement resulted in an order for 42 AH-1W SuperCobras being placed during 1992. Deliveries of this batch ran from 1993 to 1997. During 1997, it was announced that an additional 21 AH-1Ws had been ordered. During the 2010s, Taiwan began supplementing its SuperCobras with 30 newly purchased AH-64Es. Into the 2020s, Taiwan continues to operate its SuperCobras; during January 2021, a NT$339.24 million (US$11.91 million) contract with the US was signed for the provision of technical support and spare parts the AH-1W fleet through to September 2027.
Turkey During the early 1990s, Turkey bought ten AH-1W SuperCobras; these were supplemented by 32 ex-US Army AH-1 Cobras. During late 2011, Turkey requested the purchase of three AH-1Ws from the USMC inventory. The AH-1s have been repeatedly used in combat against
Kurdistan Workers' Party (
PKK) insurgents. On 13 May 2016, PKK militants shot down a Turkish Army AH-1W SuperCobra using a
9K38 Igla (SA-18 Grouse) MANPADS; in the published video, the missile severed the tail section from the rest of the helicopter, causing it to spin, fragment in midair and crash, killing the two pilots on board. The Turkish government initially stated that it had descended due to technical failure, though it later became clear that the helicopter had been shot down. Amid the
2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, Turkish Cobras were alleged to have fired upon several police vehicles. During April 2022, all of the Turkish Army's remaining AH-1Ws were transferred to the Turkish Navy; they are the first type of attack helicopter to be operated by the service. ==Variants==