U.S. military surplus parts were supposed to have been demilitarized after the Cold War drawdown, including rocket pods, machine gun mounts, and weapons systems, slipped through inadequate demilling processes at Defense Reutilization and Marketing Offices (DRMOs), allowing civilians like Garlick to reassemble them.
Garlick equipped his Cobra with Hydra rockets and machine guns, then flew it to hunt coyotes on his property, later confirming in a 60 Minutes interview, "Mine was fully armed... I was out there shooting coyotes with them."
The scandal erupted in 1994 when investigators discovered Alan Sparks in Texas hoarding 88 Cobra fuselages and weapons components, many in original crates, prompting scrutiny of Garlick's operation.
Despite the FBI considering a raid, they backed off upon learning at least 23 civilian-owned Cobras existed nationwide, and Garlick offered to sell his armed helicopter back to the government.
Garlick, who also piloted for films like Independence Day, insisted he could rebuild another Cobra anytime, stating, "If they were built once, I can rebuild it, and no one can stop me."
This incident exposed flaws in surplus disposal, leading to tighter regulations, though Garlick faced no charges and continued his business, later showcasing restored military helicopters. The Cobra, originally a Vietnam-era gunship with a top speed of 170 knots and TOW missile capability, proved adaptable for unconventional civilian uses in remote Montana.
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