Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 (HMLA-773) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron is based at Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, NJ and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 49 (MAG-49) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Bell AH-1G Cobra of HMA-773 squadron at NAS Atlanta in 1976
HMLA 773 Cobras in Afghanistan
HMLA 773 ITX 4-21
The Bell UH-1Y Venom is a twin-engine, 4-blade, medium-sized utility helicopter built by Bell Helicopter under the H-1 upgrade program of the United States Marine Corps. One of the latest members of the numerous Huey family, the UH-1Y is also called "Yankee" for the NATO phonetic alphabet pronunciation of its variant letter. Bell was originally to produce UH-1Ys by rebuilding UH-1Ns, but ultimately used new built airframes. In 2008, the UH-1Y entered service with the Marine Corps and also began full-rate production. The new UH-1 variant replaced the USMC's UH-1N Twin Huey light utility helicopters, introduced in the early 1970s. The helicopter were ordered by the Czech Republic and the helicopter is in production in the early 2020s.
Bell UH-1Y Venom
A UH-1Y during sea trials aboard USS Bataan
Rear view of UH-1Y showing the twin engine exhausts
A UH-1Y from HMLA-367 and an AH-1W SuperCobra in Afghanistan, November 2009