Bell Textron has signed several letters of intent with Ukraine in Washington, DC to explore potential helicopter supply and industrial collaboration.
Under the proposed framework, Bell and the American government would coordinate through a foreign military sales program to supply the company’s flagship AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, enhancing the military’s air capabilities amid its ongoing defense modernization.
“We are proud to announce this agreement, and the potential to supply these incredible aircraft to Ukraine,” said Jeffrey Schloesser, senior vice president for strategic pursuits at Bell.
“This initiative has been in development for some time, and we look forward to bringing it to completion.”
The AH-1Z and UH-1Y are designed to operate jointly and share about 85 percent of their components, simplifying maintenance and logistics.
Both aircraft, promoted under Bell’s H-1 standard airframe line, are currently employed by the US Marine Corps and allied militaries.
“We are confident that H-1s can play a pivotal role in further building defense capabilities in Ukraine, providing a much-needed upgrade while strengthening current Ukrainian air support,” Schloesser said.
Venom/Viper Specifications
The AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter that first entered service in 2011. It is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines, each producing 1,800 horsepower.
The aircraft measures 58 feet (18 meters) in length and has a 48-foot (15-meter) rotor diameter.
It has a maximum takeoff weight of 18,500 pounds (8,391 kilograms) and operates with a two-person crew of a pilot and a co-pilot/gunner.
Meanwhile, the UH-1Y Venom is built as a utility helicopter but shares the same twin General Electric engines, maximum takeoff weight, rotor system, and fuselage dimensions as the Viper.
The Venom can carry up to 12 personnel, including a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief, gunner, and eight combat-equipped personnel.
Both helicopters have a cruise speed of approximately 160 knots (184 miles/296 kilometers per hour), a range of about 125 nautical miles (144 miles/231 kilometers), and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).
To date, a total of 189 AH-1Z Vipers and 160 UH-1Y Venoms are operated by the US Marine Corps.
