Which helicopter is the Marine Corps' primary attack platform for close air support and anti-armor?

• A. UH-60 Black Hawk
• B. AH-1Z Viper
• C. M777 howitzer
• D. F-35B Lightning II

Answer: (B)

Attack helicopters are built to deliver precise, concentrated fire in close support of ground troops and to defeat armored threats at short range. The AH-1Z Viper is the Marine Corps’ dedicated attack helicopter, designed from the ground up for those missions. It carries a combination of a rapid-fire 20mm cannon, Hellfire missiles for anti-armor targets, and Hydra 70 rockets, all guided by advanced sensors and targeting systems that let the crew find and engage threats in day, night, or poor weather. This gives Marines a mobile, on-call gun platform that can suppress enemy fire, destroy armor, and support ground maneuvers in complex environments.

The other options fill different roles: the UH-60 Black Hawk is primarily a transport/utility helicopter, used to move people and gear and, at times, light armament, but not as the Marine Corps’ primary attack platform. The M777 is a towed artillery piece, not an aircraft. The F-35B is a fixed-wing strike aircraft capable of CAS and anti-armor tasks, but it’s not a helicopter and serves a broader, multi-role mission set, not the dedicated helicopter CAS/anti-armor platform.