Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — The Israel Air Force has retired a U.S.-origin attack helicopter.

The Air Force has halted operations of its fleet of AH-1G and S Cobra helicopters.

Military sources said commanders determined that the Cobras, procured more than 30 years ago, were no longer required amid budget cuts and high maintenance costs.

“The Air Force has a far better helicopter in the [AH-64] Apache,” a source said. “Plans for a major upgrade of Cobra were shelved because of budget cuts.”

At one point, the Air Force operated 64 Cobras, manufactured by Bell Textron. The helicopters, also used for reconnaissance, were deployed in operations in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

The sources said the Air Force retired the Cobra fleet in December 2013.

The sources said the Defense Ministry would seek to sell the surplus helicopters, which amounts to 33 platforms.

Over the last decade, the Air Force has reduced the use of helicopters for reconnaissance. Instead, the Air Force expanded its fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the Searcher-3, Skylark and the Heron-1.

  AH-1G, AH-64 Apache, Cobra helicopters, Israel retires 30-year-old Apache and Cobra helicopters