Czech Republic to buy Bell AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters.

The Czech Republic will buy 12 military helicopters from US maker Bell a deal priced at 14.5 billion crowns ($622 million), Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar said on August 22.

Venom helicopter (Picture source: Bell)

The deal includes the utility Venom aircraft and the attack Viper aircraft, which share most of their parts. Bell is a unit of Textron. The Czech Army was choosing between Bell and Lockeed Martin’s Sikorsky in the deal which also includes weaponry and ammunition shipments.

The Bell UH-1Y Venom (also called Super Huey) is a twin-engined, medium-sized utility helicopter, The Bell AH-1Z Viper is an American twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra. The two helicopters were developed for the United States Marine Corps as part of the H-1 upgrade program.

“It will be eight Venoms and four Vipers,” Metnar told reporters on a trip to a military base, in remarks broadcast on Czech Television.

Viper helicopter (Picture source: Bell)