UH-1Y and AH-1Z for the Czechs

[Slater]

Looks like the sale actually went through. Not a very large force, though: 

 

Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $272,161,641 fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract for the production and delivery of eight UH-1Y and four AH-1Z helicopters for the government of the Czech Republic. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%); and Amarillo, Texas (40%), and is expected to be completed in November 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $272,161,641 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(f)(2)(e). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0061).

 

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2337845/

Edited September 4, 2020 by Slater

[exdraken]

Ptobably a reasonable force... 

But isn't the USMC not already axing Ah-1Z squadrons?

For how long those Huey successors will be a good choice?

[Slater]

I suppose the Czechs could have opted for Apaches and Blackhawks, but presumably those would have been more costly?

[exdraken]

Not sure if double or tripple the price..but a lot....

[upnorth]

It surprized me quite a bit that the Czechs didn't take Blackhawks given that a Czech company already builds cockpit components for Blackhawks and Sikorsky own PZL Mielec in Poland. Slovakia also bought some Blackhawks not so very long ago, so the infrastructure for that type is already in place in Europe.

 

However, it looks like it will be a good deal for Czech aviation companies:

https://english.radio.cz/five-czech-companies-be-involved-us-military-helicopter-deal-8112513