Ukrainian officials are lobbying to get a dozen AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from the US, originally approved for sale to Slovakia.
The US State Department approved the estimated $600 million sale in July, a steep rise compared to the initial offer of $340 million extended to the previous Slovak government.
The discount was in part due to the collapse of a deal with the initially envisioned recipient of the platforms, Pakistan.
Slovakia Eyes F-16s, Patriot
Slovakia was offered the copters along with AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles in March 2023 at a third of the original price as compensation for its donation of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets and 2K12 Kub air defense systems to Ukraine.
The new Slovak government, however, prefers to acquire F-16s or a Patriot air defense system from the US, Defense News revealed, citing an unnamed industry official.
Moreover, Bratislava wants the platforms with the discount previously offered by the US on the Viper and Hellfire deal.
Ukraine Wants Aircraft Soon
The development has frustrated US officials, allowing Ukraine to intensify its efforts to get the Bell aircraft, which it has been wanting to acquire since 2022, according to the outlet.
“We need these helicopters for our soldiers who are fighting on the frontline in the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and other regions but also leading an operation in the Kursk region,” Defense News quoted Ukrainian lawmaker Vadym Ivchenko as saying.
Ivchenko wrote a letter to US lawmakers to convince the Biden administration to reroute the attack helicopters to Ukraine “as soon as possible.”
Moreover, Kyiv also intends to locally produce the aircraft.
“We wish to deepen our industrial cooperation with the United States to produce such helicopters in Ukraine,” Defense News quoted the lawmaker as saying.
“This foreign investment would be guaranteed by the Ukrainian government.”