On April 30, 2020, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Philippines of six (6) AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $450 million.

U.S. Marine AH-1Z attack helicopter. (Picture source Wikimedia)

The Government of the Philippines has requested to buy six (6) AH-1Z attack helicopters; fourteen (14) T-700 GE 401C engines (12 installed, 2 spares); seven (7) Honeywell Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation (EGIs) w/Precise Positioning Service (PPS) (6 installed, 1 spare); six (6) AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles; and twenty six (26) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) all up rounds. Also included is communications equipment; electronic warfare systems, AN/AAR-47 Missile and Laser Warning System, AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser System, AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Receiver, seven (7) M197 20mm machine guns (6 installed, 1 spare), Target Sight System (TSS), 5,000 20mm Semi-Armor Piercing High Explosive Incendiary (SAPHEI) rounds, two (2) AIM-9M Sidewinder training missiles, MJU-32 and MJU-38 Magnesium Teflon pyrotechnic decoy flares, flight training device, LAU-68 rocket launchers, LAU-61 rocket launchers, support equipment, spare engine containers, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $450 million.

The Philippines is considering either the AH-1Z or the AH-64E to modernize its attack helicopter capabilities. The proposed sale will assist the Philippines in developing and maintaining strong self-defense, counterterrorism, and critical infrastructure protection capabilities. The Philippines will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces.

The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron, Fort Worth, Texas; and General Electric Company, Lynn, Massachusetts. Offsets may be a requirement of doing business in the Philippines; however, offsets are negotiated directly between the Original Equipment Manufacturers or other vendors and the Government of the Philippines, and further details are not known at this time.

The AH-1Z Viper is an American twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, that was developed by the company Bell for the United States Marine Corps as part of the H-1 upgrade program. 

The AH-1Z incorporates new rotor technology with upgraded military avionics, weapons systems, and electro-optical sensors in an integrated weapons platform. It has improved survivability and can find targets at longer ranges and attack them with precision weapons.

The AH-1Z armament includes a three-barrel, 20mm Gatling gun for close-range (up to 2km) engagement and 750 rounds of ammunition. It can carry both TOW and Hellfire anti-armour missiles and is being qualified to carry the Maverick missile.

The AH-1Z is also able to fire both the Sidewinder air-to-air missile and the Sidearm anti-radiation missile. Both missiles can use the same LAU-7 rail launcher. It can fire the Hydra family of unguided 70mm rockets or the larger 127mm Zuni rocket bombs.