February6, 2007:
The United States is giving Pakistan eight AH-1F helicopter gunships.
These aircraft were replaced, in American service, by the AH-64. The last AH-1F
in use by active duty U.S. Army units was in 1999, and the last reserve units
replaced them with AH-64s in 2005. The three ton AH-1F is equipped with a three
barrel 20mm automatic cannon, and 750 rounds of ammo. Also carried are four
TOW, or eight Hellfire missiles. The AH-1F can also carry unguided rockets or
Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The AH-1F is also equipped for night
operations, has a crew of two and stays in the air for about four hours per
sortie. Max speed is about 270 kilometers an hour, and cruising speed is about
two-thirds that. The aircraft also carries countermeasures for anti-aircraft
missiles. The U.S. Marine Corps still uses a version of the AH-1, and many
foreign countries do as well. Currently, Pakistan is using armed transport
helicopters as gunships.