U.S. State Dept approves possible sale to Bahrain of attack helicopters

[The SC]

WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale to Bahrain of attack helicopters for an estimated cost of $911 million, a Pentagon agency said in a statement on Friday.

General Electric Co and Textron Inc unit Bell Helicopter are the principal contractors, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa...o-bahrain-of-attack-helicopters-idUSW1N1RT01E

 

[The SC]

Bahrain Seeks 12 Bell AH-1Z Helicopters

Bahrain has asked to buy 12 Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters, outfitted with a suite of weapons and defensive systems - a potential Foreign Military Sales package that the Defense Security Cooperation Agency estimates is worth $911.4 ...

http://aviationweek.com/awindefense/bahrain-seeks-12-bell-ah-1z-helicopters

 

[The SC]

Bahrain new customer for the AH-1 Zulu, Morocco in its footsteps?


The Kingdom of Bahrain has received approval from the US State Department for the sale of 12 AH-1 Zulu supercobra medium attack helicopters, as well as a batch of engines and weapons. The amount of the contract is $ 911 million, it includes in addition to what has been announced above, a contract for training, maintenance and logistical support.

Bell Helicopters, the manufacturer of the Super Cobra had made a very aggressive promotion of the Viper in 2016 at the Bahrain Air Show. At that moment, the Air Force of the Gulf Kingdom was looking to change its aging fleet of thirty AH-1 Cobra.

In 2015, Pakistan acquired 15 Super Cobra for $ 950 million

Super Cobra Morocco

In recent days the photo of a model of AH-1 Z in the colors of the Moroccan Air Force circulates and might indicate a forthcoming acquisition by Morocco of the helicopter for the FRA who are terribly lacking a punch in this area.

In 2016 Bell Helicopters offered its little gunship to Morocco during his participation in the Marrakech Air Show. For the moment there is no proof of official order or even of the introduction of the request, but this remains a possible acquisition for Morocco.

The AH-1 Z (Viper) is a helicopter based on the AH-1 cobra of the 60s but totally overhauled and with capabilities similar to those of the Apache, but without the radar capabilities and with a reduced load ( a less good gun especially) and less efficient armor.

It has 6 weapon pylons and can accommodate Hydra rocket pods, or guided rockets, AIM 9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and up to 16 hellfire missiles.

https://www.menadefense.net/industr...nt-pour-le-ah-1-zulu-le-maroc-sur-ses-traces/