The US State Department has cleared Slovakia’s request to procure 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters from Bell Textron.
With an estimated cost of $600 million, the potential sale includes 1,680 AGR-20 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) for added lethality.
Bratislava will also receive 26 T-700 GE 401C engines and 14 Honeywell embedded global positioning/inertial navigation systems for the combat choppers.
Also included are communications equipment, helmet-mounted display systems, and AN/APX-123A identification friend-or-foe systems.
According to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the potential deal will help improve Slovakia’s ability to meet current and future threats.
It will also support US foreign policy and national security objectives by bolstering the security of a NATO ally “that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.”
‘Providing a Competitive Advantage’
Originally developed for the US Marine Corps, the AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine helicopter capable of launching multiple missiles.
It was reportedly designed to provide a “competitive advantage” to military customers by allowing them to effectively engage both air-to-air and air-to-ground targets even in the most austere environments.
It boasts a minimal logistics footprint and offers ease of maintenance for operators.
According to Bell, the Viper can reach speeds of up to 200 knots (370 kilometers/230 miles per hour) and support missions more than 310 nautical miles (358 miles/574 kilometers) away.
“With the AH-1Z Viper, Bell has created an aircraft that not only meets but exceeds all the key requirements for modern military helicopters,” company official Mike Deslatte said. “No other aircraft can match the performance, capability, connectivity, and survivability of the AH-1Z.”