On August 17, 2023, at the 22nd Helicopter Aviation Base (22. Základna vrtulníkového letectva) of the Czech Air Force in Namesht-nad-Oslava near Brno, an official ceremony was held for the commissioning of the first two Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters purchased by the Czech Republic in the USA of a new construction (Czech tail numbers "0486" and "0487"). The ceremony was attended by Czech Defense Minister Jana Chernokhova and the Czech military leadership.
One of the first two American Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters to enter service with the Czech Air Force (Czech tail number "0487"). Namesht-nad-Oslava, 17.08.2023 (c) Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic
Data The first two AN-1Z helicopters of the new construction out of four ordered were delivered to the Czech Republic to the 22nd Airbase aboard the American military transport aircraft Boeing C-17A Globemaster III on July 26, 2023. The official ceremony of handing over the first AN-1Z to the Czech side took place at the Bell Textron plant in Amarillo (Texas) on April 4. On August 17, the third AN-1Z helicopter delivered to the Czech Republic (Czech tail number "0488"), as well as the first of eight ordered Bell UH-1Y Venom multipurpose helicopters (Czech tail number "0490"), was delivered to the 22nd Airbase by another C-17A flight. Delivery to the Czech side of the fourth AN-1Z (Czech tail number "0489") and the second UH-1Y is scheduled for mid-September, and the transfer of the remaining six UH-1Y should be made before the end of the year.
Recall that in December 2019, the Czech Republic signed an intergovernmental agreement with the United States on the supply of the Czech Air Force through the American program of intergovernmental foreign military sales Foreign Military Sales (FMS) 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 supply will also include missile weapons, a ground simulator, various equipment and spare parts, service support and training of personnel.
In April 2022, Czech Defense Minister Yana Chernokhova reached an agreement with the US Department of Defense to transfer six more AH-1Z and two UH-1Y helicopters to the Czech side free of charge from the presence of the American Marine Corps, with their repair. At the same time, the United States will fully cover all relevant expenses due to military assistance to the Czech Republic, as compensation for the Czech Republic's transfer of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.
In May 2023, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the US Department of Defense sent a notification to the US Congress about the possible sale of six Bell AH-1Z Viper and two Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopters to the Czech Republic through the FMS line, with their repair and modernization. The total cost of the proposed delivery was indicated 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.
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, consisting of the equipment of the 22nd Airbase.
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 became 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 were transferred to 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.
One of the first two American Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters to enter service with the Czech Air Force (Czech tail number "0487"). Namesht-nad-Oslava, 17.08.2023 (c) Jaroslav Vysoký / www.planes.cz
The ceremony of the entry into the Czech Air Force of the first two American Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters. Namesht-nad-Oslavoy, 17.08.2023 (c) Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic
Delivery to the 22nd Helicopter Aviation Base by a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft of the US Air Force of the third Bell AN-1Z Viper combat helicopter delivered to the Czech Republic (Czech tail number "0488"), as well as the first of eight ordered Bell UH-1Y Venom multipurpose helicopters (Czech tail number "0490"). Namesht-nad-Oslavoy, 17.08.2023 (c) Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic
