U.S. approves sale of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters to Slovakia for US$600 million
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The U.S. State Department has given the green light to a possible foreign military sale (FMS) of AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment to the government of Slovakia, worth an estimated $600 million.
As reported by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) press release, the package offered to Slovakia includes:
- 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters.
- 26 T-700 GE 401C engines (24 installed, 2 spare).
- 14 Honeywell GPS/inertial navigation systems (12 installed, 2 spares).
- 1680 APKWS, WGU-59/B advanced precision weapon systems.
- Various armament and ammunition systems (guns, practice and explosive rounds, flare and chaff countermeasures).
It also contemplates the supply of support equipment, spare parts, communications, training, self-defense systems, and technical personnel for its implementation, among other things.
AH-1Z with discount for MiG-29
In March 2023, the then Slovak defense minister, Jaroslav Nad, had reported that the US offered his government the sale of 12 AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters, 500 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, as well as training and logistical support, in a deal valued at around USD 1 billion, of which Slovakia will only have to pay USD 340 million.
Washington’s “generosity” was the result of compensation agreed with Bratislava for the donation of 13 MiG-29 fighters and 2K12 “Kub” (SA-6 Gainful, in NATO code) air defense systems to Ukraine.
Slovakia will replace its MiG-29 Fulcrum with fourteen new Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighters, becoming the first European country to receive the most advanced version of this legendary fighter currently in production.
According to Mr. Nad’s statement, the AH-1Z “Viper” was to be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, but these are not mentioned in the DSCA press release.
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