The subject of today’s Photo Of The Day is Helicopters, with a focus on the Bell AH-1Z Viper, or the “Zulu Cobra“.

Above you can see one hovering just above the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha, in the Arabian Sea.

The Bell AH-1Z Viper carries one 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in the A/A49E-7 turret.  It comes with 750 rounds.

It also has 6 pylon station on the “wings”, to accommodate rockets like the Hydra 70 or the APKWS II.

Depending on the mission configuration it can also have AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles or AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles.

Caption: A CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), walks around an aircraft aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26). The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 11th MEU are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

Caption: A UH-1Y Venom attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), lands on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26).

All photos by U.S. Marine Corps, Cpl. Adam Dublinske.