The Cobra took off in 1965, after an accelerated development program that took only six months. Its design was based on the successful transport helicopter, Bell UH-1 Huey, also known as the Bell-205. The first model of the chopper - the AH-1G - was purchased in large numbers by the US Army and played a prominent role in Vietnam, both at suppressing enemy ground fire and providing close support to assault troops.

As early as 1958, Bell began planning a specialized attack helicopter, and a prototype was shown to a group of senior officers in 1962. Budgetary constraints prevented the military from giving the go-ahead for continued development of the helicopter, but Bell did so out of its own budget, and built another prototype (in order to cut costs, parts of existing helicopters were used for building the prototype). The prototype held its maiden flight in July 1963, and was dubbed 'Sioux Scout'. Bell's engineers continued to make improvements after the prototype had been tested.

In 1965, when the US Army issued a tender for a readily available combat chopper, Bell was several steps ahead of the competition. The prototype which was under construction at the time met most of the tender's requirements, and all that remained was to prove this in actual flight. In late 1965, after a comparative study of the competing bids, Bell’s chopper was selected. In a signing ceremony on April 9th 1966, the US Army formally ordered 112 helicopters.

The Cobra has a tandem-seat configuration with the gunner sitting in the front cabin and operating the weapons systems, and the pilot sitting behind him, on an elevated seat. This configuration made it possible to narrow the Cobra's fuselage and lessen its exposure to enemy fire. The Cobra is less than one meter wide.

The Tzefa was retrofitted with an infra-red optical system created in cooperation with the US Army, which enables night vision and improves the Cobra's weapon accuracy in adverse weather and dark nights.
The Tzefa's main mission is to strike at ground targets. Its armament includes TOW anti-tank missiles, two rocket packs and a three-barreled 20 mm. cannon.

AH-1G

The first Cobra model. A single engine twin seater with a narrow fuselage, that causes less of the helicopter's surface to be exposed to enemy fire. The helicopter is armed with different kinds of rockets, cannon and grenades. Over the years, modifications were carried out. The main change is in the Cobra's ability to carry and deploy TOW anti-tank missiles.

AH-1S

The AH-1S is the most advanced single-engine Cobra model, and also serves in the IAF. This model is equipped with a Lycoming T53-L-703 engine, rated at 1,800 hp. The Cobra's S version has improved avionics, including night vision systems. The S has several submodels, marked P, E and F, which differ mostly in avionics.

AH-1W 'Super Cobra'

The first Super Cobra took to the air in November of 1983. This is considered to be the most advanced Cobra model. It has two T-700 engines, like the Apache and Blackhawk, and is used by the US Marines and a number of other countries.

The IAF considers purchasing a combat helicopter

In 1974, following the Yom Kippur War, the IAF needed solutions for two tough challenges: action in areas protected by SAMs and interdiction of armored columns in motion. Combat helicopters seemed like a possible answer to both problems.

The IAF had previous experience with the use of armed helicopters, but these had been converted assault craft that were never used in full operational capacity. In May of 1974, a delegation of four pilots was sent to the US, to examine the possibility of purchasing a combat helicopter. The IAF was close to signing a deal for the purchase of the Sikorsky S-67 'Black Hawk' - a large, advanced combat chopper at the time (not to be confused with the firm's current assault helicopter) - but a prototype of the Black Hawk crashed, and the deal was off. The Cobra, which had been successfully used in Vietnam, was seen as a fitting solution, and the pilots began retraining on the Cobra in one of the USAF's bases. The IAF also purchased several AH-1G models from the USMC surplus, for evaluation in Israel.

The Cobras turn into Vipers

In April of 1975, the first Cobras arrived in Israel, and formed a special test unit, that was created for the sole purpose of evaluating the Cobras' operational performance, and deciding whether they met the IAF's needs. Eight months later, a favorable report was handed in to General Benny Peled, the IAF's commander.

In February of 1976, Peled decided to go along with the trial unit's recommendations, and to turn it into a fully operational fighting squadron. It was also decided to upgrade the helicopters to that of the AH-1Q Cobra model. The main change was the addition of TOW anti-tank missiles to the gunship's firepower, and additional Cobras were ordered.

In May of 1977, the Cobras and some of the squadron's aircrew members were sent to the US. The choppers were upgraded, and the crewmen were taught how best to use the TOW-armed Cobras in combat. The first Cobra squadron was established that year, and the helicopter received the Hebrew nickname 'Tzefa' - 'Viper'. In August of 1978, the first upgraded 'Tzefa' returned to Israel.

First day in action

In 1979, less than a year after their arrival, the upgraded Cobras went to war. The IAF command decided that the Tzefa's accurate rockets made it the right helicopter to use in Lebanon, where accuracy was of the essence in order to avoid hitting civilians.

The Cobras carried out a preparatory sortie, which was the first time that they crossed the border into Lebanon. Four months later, the order to strike was handed down. The IAF had obtained information about terrorists who had attacked Kibbutz Manara, and then found refuge in a specific structure in the El-Halil refugee camp near Sidon. The squadron, which had been training in southern Israel at the time, was called back to base. In the late noon hours, a pair of Cobras set out northwards, with the intent of attacking at dusk.

"I thought twice about everything I did, at every stage", recalls Col. (res.) Har'el, who participated in the attack. "It was just my second sortie past the border. We reached the area, identified the house, and prepared to fire. The second chopper - that of Cpt. Yoni and Cpt. Tzion Bar-Or (who was later killed in an accident) - fired the first two rockets. Then we moved in and fired two more. I saw the missiles hit the target, but to this very day I don't know the extent of the damage we inflicted."

The successful attack paved the way for the Cobras' participation in routine security operations in Lebanon. In fact - since that first day in action, the Cobras have never really left Lebanon.

'Peace for the Galilee'

The Cobras were used intensively during Operation 'Peace for the Galilee' (1982). They gave close support to the IDF's infantry and armor, and destroyed advanced enemy T-72 tanks, anti-aircraft emplacements, 'Katyusha' rocket launchers and many other targets.

At the outset of the operation, the Cobras were utilized against tanks and terrorist vehicles all across the front. When the Syrian Army entered the fray, the Cobras were diverted to combating their armored forces, while giving close support to the IDF armor and infantry. To this end, much use was made of the Cobras' TOW missiles, which proved effective against the T-72 tanks. The Tzefa helicopters destroyed dozens of tanks and other armored vehicles, both heavy and light, belonging to the Syrian and terrorist forces.

Another Cobra squadron is established

One of the lessons learned from the war in Lebanon was the vital role of the Cobras. In 1985, a second Cobra squadron was formed, after additional helicopters had been purchased from the US. The squadron was quickly pronounced operational, and began to take part in the IAF's routine security operations.

On October 31st 1985, in the course of a training sortie by two Cobras in northern Israel, one of the Cobras crashed into shallow waters off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The helicopter had been crushed and had penetrated deep into the mud, and its crew trapped inside. The second Cobra landed near the first, and its crew managed to free the trapped men and resuscitate them. 50 minutes after the crash, the injured men were already being evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. The second Cobra's crew received honors from the IAF Commander, Gen. Amos Lapidot, for their quick thinking and actions in saving the trapped men's lives. The damaged Cobra was fixed and returned to active service.

Rescue on a Cobra's skids

On Thursday, October 16th 1986, a Phantom carrying out a routine attack in Lebanon was hit following a technical malfunction, and the two crew members had to bail out. The pilot had a rough fall and rolled into a wadi, but crawled into a thicket of raspberry bushes and camouflaged himself, awaiting rescue. The navigator, Maj. Ron Arad, fell captive. The terrorist forces who had captured him scoured the area looking for the pilot, and shot at the two Cobras which came to rescue him.

The Cobras managed to make contact with the pilot. They flew low in his direction, and directed him to climb as far up the wadi wall as he could. One of the Cobras managed to sidle up to the Phantom pilot. The plan called for the weapons drum hatch to be opened, for him to sit on, but instead he took hold of one of the chopper's skids under one arm, grabbed the radio with the other hand and shouted 'go!'. He flown thus - hanging in midair from the Cobra's skid - to Israeli territory.

In December of 1988, a similar method was used to rescue four infantrymen from the Golani brigade, who had participated in Operation 'Blue and Brown' against the PFLP headquarters at Nu'eimeh, and had been inadvertently left behind in the terrorist-controlled area. They were tied to the rescue Cobras' skids and evacuated to nearby Israeli Navy vessels.

Terrorists taken at Nitzanim

The Cobras proved to be efficient not only in supporting the armored units, but also as a very effective anti-terrorist weapon. On May 30th 1990 an Agur pilot identified a terrorist boat that had reached the shore at Nitzanim, not far from Ashkelon. Cobras were scrambled. Meanwhile, the Agur pilot executed some low fly-bys over the infiltrators, stalling them until the Cobras arrived. At the end of the operation, the IDF had managed to hit four rubber dinghies, kill four terrorists and take 12 others prisoner.

Operation 'Grapes of Wrath'

The Cobras played an important role in Operation 'Grapes of Wrath', which began on April 11th 1996. Their main activity in the first days of the operation was to hunt down 'Katyusha' rocket-launchers in the eastern war zone, north of the Israeli Security Zone. There were Cobras in the air 24 hours a day, always ready to enter Lebanon and counter any threat that arose.

On Saturday night, when the fourth day of fighting began, the Cobras switched over to attack mode. Instead of contenting themselves with patrolling the skies of southern Lebanon, they began to actively initiate pinpoint strikes north of the Israeli Security Zone.

The IAF receives US Army surplus Cobras

In November of 1996, the IAF received a gift of used Cobras from the US Army's surplus. The Cobras were of the AH-1E model that served in the IAF for pilot training. Some of these newly received Cobras were handed over to the Flight School, where they are flown by the Combat Helicopter Pilot Course cadets, and the rest joined the operational Cobra squadron. All of the Cobras received were modified for service in the IAF.