On May 3, 2023, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the US Department of Defense sent a notification to the US Congress about a possible sale to the Czech Republic through the US program of intergovernmental foreign military sales Foreign Military Sales (FMS) from the presence of six Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters and two Bell UH-1Y Venom multipurpose helicopters, with their repair and modernization. This sale is approved by the U.S. Department of State. The total cost of the proposed delivery will be up to $ 650 million, including training and technical support packages, but without missile weapons, but the final cost is still subject to clarification and, as stated, will be lower.
The ceremony of handing over to the Ministry of National Defense of the Czech Republic the first Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopter manufactured under the 2019 agreement for the Czech Air Force at the Bell Textron plant in Amarillo (Texas), 04.04.2023 (c) the Ministry of National Defense of the Czech RepublicRecall that in December 2019, the Czech Republic signed an intergovernmental agreement with the United States to supply the Czech Air Force through the American FMS program with 12 helicopters of the new production of the American company Bell Textron (as part of Textron Corporation) - four combat AH-1Z Viper and eight multipurpose UH-1Y Venom.
The cost of the agreement amounted to CZK 14.6 billion (USD 650 million, excluding VAT), while the delivery will also include missile weapons, a ground simulator, various equipment and spare parts, the cost of the agreement also includes service support and training of personnel. [...]
Delivery of all 12 helicopters of the Czech Republic under the 2019 agreement is planned during 2023. On April 4, 2023, the ceremony of handing over to the Czech Republic the first Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopter built for it took place at the Bell Textron plant in Amarillo (Texas), while it was reported that the first two Viper helicopters should arrive in the Czech Republic in May.
In 2022, there were also reports about the decision of the US government to transfer six more AH-1Z helicopters and two UH-1Y helicopters to the Czech side free of charge from the presence of its marines, with their repair. At the same time, the United States will fully cover all relevant expenses (indicated in the now-issued corresponding DSCA notification in the amount of up to $ 650 million) on account of military assistance to the Czech Republic, as compensation for the Czech Republic's transfer of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.
Thus, the Czech Republic will receive a total of 10 AH-1Z combat helicopters and 10 UH-1Y multi-purpose helicopters. In 2017, the Czech Ministry of National Defense determined plans to purchase a total of 30-35 multi-purpose and combat helicopters to replace the existing fleet of Mi-35, Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters in the Czech Air Force.
The UH-1Y helicopter is the latest version of the well-known Bell UH-1 helicopter family, and was mass-produced by Bell from 2007 to 2018 in the amount of 160 units exclusively for the US Marine Corps, which is the sole operator of the UH-1Y. The Czech Republic became the first foreign customer of the UH-1Y helicopter.
The AH-1Z helicopter (brand name Bell 449 SuperCobra) is the latest derivation of the famous Bell AH-1 Cobra family of American combat helicopters and has a carrier system unified with the UH-1Y. AH-1Z production was carried out by Bell from 2006 to 2022 for the US Marine Corps, which received a total of 189 helicopters of this type. The Czech Republic will become the second foreign recipient of the AH-1Z after Bahrain, which ordered 12 helicopters in 2018 and received them in 2022-2023.
Earlier, Pakistan ordered the first AH-1Z in the amount of 12 units in 2015-2016 through the FMS line at the expense of American military assistance, but the AH-1Z helicopters manufactured in 2017-2018 for Pakistan were never delivered to it due to the decision of the US government in early 2018 to suspend military assistance to Pakistan, and these helicopters are now in storage. In April 2022, a DSCA notification was issued about the planned sale of 12 AH-1Z helicopters to Nigeria.
In March 2023, there were reports of a US proposal to supply 12 AH-1Z helicopters of new production to Slovakia (along with 500 Hellfire II missiles), while Slovakia should pay only $ 340 million, and the US itself should cover $ 660 million of the cost of delivery at its own expense, and the EU - another $ 213 million. At present, the status of this proposal is unclear.
