FMS Order for 12 Expected to Manufacture Late-Model Cobra and Hueys Through 2023
Bell has officially begun production on the first of the AH-1Z Viper helicopters bound for the Czech Republic at their Texas assembly center. The Viper is a part of an FMS deal for the country that will also see delivery of another H-1 Program aircraft, the UH-1Y. The deal was worth an estimated $272 million for Bell to build a series of 4 AH-1Z Viper attack and 8 UH-1Y "Venom" utility helicopters (or more colloquially, "Super Huey" - despite the efforts of Textron marketers, "venom" hasn't taken hold as a popular nickname for the legendary helicopter's newest version).