The US State Department Has Approved the Sale of Helicopters to the Czech Republic

By TOC

WASHINGTON, the U.S. (BulgarianMilitary.com) – The US State Department has approved the sale of four Bell AH-1Z Viper or 12 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility and assault helicopters to the Czech Republic, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, quoting Jane`s 360.

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The proposed sale of the AH-1Z or UH-60M would be in support of efforts by the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic (Vzdušné síly Armády České Republiky – VzS AČR) to replace its Warsaw Pact-era Mil Mi-24 ‘Hind’ assault helicopters. The AH-1Z procurement would include a complementary buy of Bell UH-1Y Venom attack helicopters.

Valued at USD205 million, the AH-1Z deal includes weapons, training, spares, and support, while the UH-60M deal would be worth USD800 million and would also include the same.

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Specific items listed in the proposed AH-1Z sale include 14 Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and the standard under-nose mounted M197 20 mm Gatling guns, while the UH-60M deal includes BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) guided rockets, M240H 7.62 mm machine guns, M134D 7.62 mm Miniguns, GP-19 12.7 mm machine gun pods, GAU-19B 12.7 mm Gatling guns, and M261 70 mm rocket launchers.

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Both potential deals must be approved by Congress before either can be finalised.

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BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team
Source: Jane`s