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The government of Slovakia will acquire a dozen AH-1Z attack helicopters under a possible US$600 million foreign military sale approved by the US State Department.
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The US Congress was notified of the possible sale by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 31 July.
Under the possible deal, Slovakia has requested to buy 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters, 26 T-700 GE 401C engines, 1,680 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, 14 Honeywell embedded global positioning systems/inertial navigation systems, support and test equipment, aircraft, weapons and munitions, countermeasures, integration and test support, spare and repair parts.
The possible sale also includes communications equipment, mission planning, software delivery and support, Helmet Mounted Display System/Optimized TopOwl, Target Sight Systems and containers, technical refresh mission computers, ANVIS-9 night vision cueing displays, AN/ARC-210 Generation 6 receiver-transmitter 2036 radio equipment, AN/APX-123A identification friend or foe (IFF) Mode 5 mounting trays and batteries, cartridge actuated devices/propellant actuated devices (CAD/PADs), facilities and construction support, transportation, publications and technical documentation.
In addition, it also includes M299 launchers, LAU-61C/A and LAU-68F/A rocket launchers, M151 high explosive warheads for airborne 2.75 inch rockets, MK66 MOD 4, 2.75-inch rocket motors, WTU-1B warheads, M197 20 mm armament gun pod assemblies, 20 mm PGU-27A/B target practice rounds, 20 mm PGU-28A/B semi-armour piercing high explosive incendiary rounds, AN/ALE-47 chaff and flare countermeasures system, MJU-32A/B and MJU-49B decoy flares, SMB875B/ALE flare simulators, RR-129A/AL chaff cartridges, RR-144A/AL training chaff cartridges, CCU-136A/A impulse cartridges, AN/AAR-47 missile warning system, AN/APR-39C radar warning receiver and conversion kits, KIV-78A cryptographic appliques, AN/PYQ-10C simple key loader with KOV-21 cryptographic card, US government and contractor engineering, field service representative services, technical and logistical support services, studies and surveys, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” according to a public statement released by the DSCA.
“The proposed sale will improve Slovakia’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing the Slovak Air Force with aircraft to meet its national defence needs. Slovakia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
The principal contractors are expected to be Bell Textron and the General Electric Company.
Implementation of the proposed sale will require multiple trips by US government and contractor representatives to Slovakia to participate in program and technical reviews, as well as training and maintenance support in-country, on a temporary basis, for 24 months.
It will also require approximately two contractor support representatives to reside in-country for a period of two years to support the program.
