Ukraine has been requesting AH-1Z Viper helicopters since 2022

Since 2022, Ukraine has been interested in American combat helicopters AH-1Z Viper by Bell Helicopter.

Vadym Ivchenko, MP and member of the parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, told Defense News.

In 2022, Ukrainian officials asked the United States to obtain Viper helicopters through a foreign military sale.

“We need these helicopters for our soldiers who are fighting on the frontline in Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and other regions but also leading an operation in the Kursk region,” Ivchenko told Defense News.

As a member of the parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Ivchenko said he had written letter to U.S. lawmakers to convince the Biden administration to reroute the Vipers to Kyiv if Slovakia turns them down.

“Slovakia should decide what kind of weapons and equipment they require for their military, and if they don’t need these helicopters, then their delivery to Ukraine should take place as soon as possible,” he said.

Ivchenko said that officials in Kyiv were also making efforts to host the production of Bell helicopters at a designated Ukraine-based facility.

“We wish to deepen our industrial cooperation with the United States to produce such helicopters in Ukraine,” according to the lawmaker.

In July, the United States agreed to sell twelve AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to Slovakia.

However, after a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Robert Fico was sworn in last October, Bratislava suggested that AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters were no longer at the top of its shopping list.

The potential contract is estimated at $600 million. The main contractors will be Bell Textron and General Electric.

In addition to the helicopters, the possible deal includes the purchase of 26 T-700 GE 401C engines, 1,680 APKWS unguided air-to-ground missiles, 20mm ammunition, helmets, electronics and other equipment.

In addition, the contract price includes training for crews and ground staff and the creation of the necessary infrastructure.