Slovakia; MoD requests 12 Bell AH-1Z Attack Helicopters from US

Slovak Defence Ministry Submits a Request for a Price Quotation for 12 AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters to U.S. Government

A request for a price quotation for the delivery of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters along with the precise specification of requirements for the AH-1Z Viper and associated accessories, AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles, initial logistical support, training for pilots and technicians has now been submitted to the U.S. Government by the Slovak Defence Ministry, which has moved another step closer to accepting the U.S. Government’s advantageous offer to strengthen Slovakia’s defence potential.

As Defence Minister Martin Sklenár explained, what is to follow next is a review of our request along with other time-consuming arrangements, adding: “Given the complexity of the processes and previous experience, our American partner announced that due to the specifics of the project, which will involve returning the already produced helicopters in storage back into active service rather than producing new ones, it is necessary to expect longer periods for individual stages.”

He continued: “In this phase, our goal was to specify the requirements of the Slovak Armed Forces in as much detail as possible to increase the chances of quick progress and move on to the next step towards the delivery of the U.S. price quote.”

Considering the length of the processes involved, the delivery of the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to Slovakia is expected to take three years. The value of the U.S. offer for the package is worth more than $1 billion. However, based on its negotiations and agreement with the USA, the SVK MOD will pay about $340 million over the course of 3-4 years from the planned Defence budget.