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Ukraine May Soon Fly US AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom Helicopters Under Bell Textron Agreement

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
Photo of Tetiana Frolova
Tetiana Frolova
News Writer
A UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter (R) and an AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter land onboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on June 7, 2022, during the BALTOPS 22 Exercise in the Baltic Sea. (Source: Getty Images)
A UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter (R) and an AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter land onboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on June 7, 2022, during the BALTOPS 22 Exercise in the Baltic Sea. (Source: Getty Images)

American aerospace manufacturer Bell Textron has announced it is ready to supply its AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the company said in a statement published on its website on October 20.

Delegates from Bell Textron and the Ukrainian government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Washington outlining prospects for industrial cooperation, including the potential delivery of the advanced helicopters to Ukraine.

“We are proud to announce this agreement and the opportunity to provide these helicopters to Ukraine,” said Jeffrey Schloesser, Bell’s Senior Vice President for Strategic Pursuits. “This initiative has been in development for some time, and we look forward to seeing it through.”

Bell’s AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter share about 85% common components, including the tail boom, engines, rotor system, transmission, avionics architecture, software, controls, and displays. This interoperability streamlines maintenance and logistics while reducing operational costs.

“We believe the H-1 helicopters can play a crucial role in strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, providing much-needed modernization while enhancing its existing air support,” Schloesser added.

Bell Textron also expressed readiness to establish a production and maintenance hub in Ukraine, which would handle assembly, servicing, and repair of the aircraft.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture said the signed memorandum sets the framework for creating domestic manufacturing and service facilities, boosting the country’s high-tech engineering and industrial capacity.

The AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter developed from the AH-1W SuperCobra as part of the US Marine Corps’ H-1 upgrade program.

It is armed with a nose-mounted 20mm automatic cannon and six external hardpoints capable of carrying Hydra 70 unguided rockets, AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, or auxiliary fuel tanks.

The UH-1Y Venom, meanwhile, is a twin-engine multirole helicopter designed for troop transport, medical evacuation, air support, and cargo missions.

Built under the same modernization program, it shares much of its architecture with the Viper, allowing both platforms to operate seamlessly together on the battlefield.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will expand its army aviation capabilities by establishing additional helicopter groups to enhance defense against Russian drones.

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