USMC retires the Bell AH-1W

[RavenOne]

After 3 and half decades its final goodbye to the Whiskey model so Semper Fidelis.

https://news.bellflight.com/en-US/f...mCzKbEj_h2NTrYKRfsTpeTsRXuF2bKtwz3BGTUhEGXRlw

 

[isayyo2]

Certainly took them long enough!

 

[marauder2048]

Certainly took them long enough!

Bell delivered the first AH-1Ws to the Marines on March 27, 1986 and delivered the final aircraft in 1999

So given the AH-1W life expectancy retirement of the last one would be...now.

 

[isayyo2]

Certainly took them long enough!

Bell delivered the first AH-1Ws to the Marines on March 27, 1986 and delivered the final aircraft in 1999

So given the AH-1W life expectancy retirement of the last one would be...now.

Just seems odd to me that the UH-1N retired about five or six years ago while the AH-1W soldiered on till now. Was the AH-1Z's production line purposely slowed to help Bell look attractive for export potential?

 

[yasotay]

Certainly took them long enough!

Bell delivered the first AH-1Ws to the Marines on March 27, 1986 and delivered the final aircraft in 1999

So given the AH-1W life expectancy retirement of the last one would be...now.

Just seems odd to me that the UH-1N retired about five or six years ago while the AH-1W soldiered on till now. Was the AH-1Z's production line purposely slowed to help Bell look attractive for export potential?

A few more systems on the AH-1Z than on the UH-1Y. Technical integration mixed with bureaucracy can drag things out.

 

[TomcatViP]

The U stands for utility meaning they do usually fly way more often.