TSAMTO, October 27. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. has handed over to the US Navy Aviation Systems Command (NAVAIR) the first of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters before its official delivery to the Bahrain Air Force.
According to the company's press release, the lead helicopter (s.n. 2200) will be prepared for shipment by the American Defense Contract Management Agency, and then will go to Bahrain in 2022.
The agreement on the sale of about $ 10 billion worth of weapons to the Armed Forces of Bahrain, including AH-1Z helicopters, was reached during the visit of Crown Prince of Bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to Washington in November 2017.
On April 27, 2018, the US State Department approved the delivery to Bahrain under the Foreign Military Sales program of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, related weapons (AGM-114 Hellfire ATGM, WGU-59B APKWS-II missiles, 20 mm M197 cannons), auxiliary systems (AN/AAQ-30 TSS sighting optoelectronic complexes, Optimized Top Owl helmet-mounted targeting systems, communications and electronic warfare systems state recognition "friend-foe" APX-117, etc.), training equipment and services with a total cost of up to $ 911.4 million.
The basic contract worth $240.266 million for the supply of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters for the Bahrain Armed Forces was signed by the US Department of Defense with Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. in February 2019. Bahrain became the first country in the world to order helicopters of this type.
According to Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., all work under the contract is scheduled to be completed in August 2022.
Currently, the Bahrain Air Force has about 30 AH-1E/F/P "Cobra" helicopters of the previous generation in two squadrons stationed at the Riffa Air Base. The purchase of the AH-1Z is part of a broader program to modernize the helicopter fleet of the Armed Forces of Bahrain.
