On July 31, 2024, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the US Department of Defense sent a notification to the US Congress about the possible sale of 12 Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters to Slovakia through the American program of intergovernmental foreign military sales Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This sale is approved by the U.S. Department of State. The total cost of the proposed delivery will be $600 million, including training and technical support packages and part of the missile armament.
Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopter (Czech tail number "0487") of the Czech Air Force, 2023 (c) Jan Suchanek / www.czdefence.cz
According to the notification, 1,680 adjustable 70 mm APKWS missiles should be included in the delivery, but Slovakia's Hellfire missiles will probably have to be purchased separately.
Slovakia's interest in purchasing American Bell AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters was first indicated in 2022 after the purchase of these helicopters by the Czech Republic. 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 at its own expense, and the EU - another $ 213 million. Apparently, this proposal was not implemented in this form, but the current DSCA notification on the possible sale of 12 helicopters to Slovakia clearly indicates an underestimated delivery cost of $ 600 million, which most likely indicates the presence of some "compensatory" mechanisms for partial financing of the sale.
Earlier 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 multi-purpose UH-1Y Venom. The cost of the agreement amounted to CZK 14.6 billion (USD650 million, excluding VAT), while the supply also included missile weapons, a ground simulator, various equipment and spare parts, service support and training of personnel. The first two AH-1Z helicopters entered service with the Czech Air Force on August 17, 2023, two more AH-1Z helicopters were delivered to the Czech Republic in August and September 2023, and the delivery of the last UH-1Y was completed in June 2024.
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 transfer of weapons and military equipment by the Czech Republic to Ukraine. Accordingly, in May 2023, DSCA sent a notification about the possible sale of six AH-1Z and two UH-1Y helicopters to the Czech Republic through the FMS line, with their repair and modernization. The total cost of the proposed delivery was indicated to $ 650 million, including training and technical support packages, but without missile weapons, however, the final cost is still subject to clarification and, as stated, will be lower.
The AH-1Z helicopter (brand name Bell 449 SuperCobra) is the latest derivative of the famous Bell AH-1 Cobra family of American combat helicopters and has a carrier system unified with the UH-1Y helicopter. 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 first foreign recipient of AH-1Z helicopters was Bahrain, which ordered 12 helicopters in 2018 and received them in 2022-2023. Then the Czech Republic ordered and received four AH-1Z helicopters. Previously, 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, however, 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 regarding the planned sale of 12 AH-1Z helicopters to Nigeria, in January 2024, the U.S. government re-confirmed the expected sale of 12 AH-1Z helicopters to Nigeria.
