In the face of what seems to be a stagnation in the Slovak government’s project to acquire AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, Ukraine has begun to advocate for a proposal that would ensure the aircraft for its defense against the Russian invasion. Initially, this would involve a batch of 12 units, which Slovakia had requested from the United States for a total of $600 million.}
It is worth noting that this dozen of helicopters, manufactured by Bell, was originally intended for delivery to the Pakistani Armed Forces, an agreement that also fell through prior to Slovakia’s intention to purchase. In this regard, the U.S. government had offered the previous administration of the European country a discounted package for $340 million, which was explained through the provision of discounts to facilitate the acquisition and as compensation for the MiG-29 fighters donated to Ukraine.
However, U.S. media report that this did not materialize, as the Slovak government sought to apply the discount to other military equipment purchases, such as the F-16 Block 70 fighters. A shift in direction seems to have occurred with the cabinet’s renewal, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, who repeatedly stated that the acquisition of the U.S. attack helicopters had ceased to be a priority for the defense portfolio. The aforementioned aircraft purchase (which may expand in the near future), along with the acquisition of air defense systems, appears to have taken its place.
From Ukraine’s perspective, it should be noted that plans to acquire a batch of AH-1Z Viper aircraft date back to the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, with the corresponding letter of intent presented to advance the purchase. Currently, the Ukrainian government has emphasized the significant utility these helicopters would have on the battlefields of the conflict. As stated by Deputy Vadym Ivchenko: “We need these helicopters for our soldiers who are fighting on the front lines in the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and other regions, but they also lead an operation in the Kursk region.”
Elaborating on his recent statements: “Slovakia should decide what type of weapons and equipment it needs for its armed forces, and if it does not need these helicopters, their delivery to Ukraine should take place as soon as possible (…) We want to deepen our industrial cooperation with the United States to produce this type of helicopter in Ukraine. This foreign investment would be guaranteed by the Ukrainian government.”
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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