The United States government has authorized the potential sale of twelve (12) AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to the Slovak Armed Forces. This information comes from the notification sent by the State Department to the U.S. Congress for approval of this transaction through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program in support of a key European ally.
As has been noted in recent years, the Slovak Armed Forces have been making significant efforts to incorporate new capabilities and renew their combat aircraft fleet. One of the most significant operations was the purchase of new F-16 Block 70 fighter-bombers from the United States, with the first units recently being delivered.
According to information published by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Slovak government requested the purchase of up to twelve (12) AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from the U.S., which would be manufactured by Bell Textron if the deal is finalized. The total value of the transaction is $600 million. However, the package authorized by the State Department also includes other items. Notable among these are the provision of APKWS systems for converting unguided rockets into guided projectiles, along with their respective M299 launch systems and 20mm M197 machine guns.
“The proposed sale will enhance Slovakia’s ability to address current and future threats by providing the Slovak Air Force with aircraft to meet its national defense needs. Slovakia will not have difficulty integrating this equipment into its armed forces,” stated the U.S. government on July 31.
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