Story ID: 
U.S. Approves AH-1Z Sale To Bahrain
By: Chris Pocock
Caption: Bell’s attack helicopter has achieved a second export success.
Word Count: 170
Bahrain has requested 12 Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters via the U.S. Foreign Military Sale process. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) estimates the cost of the purchase at $911.4 million. This is the second export sale of the AH-1Z, after Pakistan.

The package includes two spare GE T700 powerplants for the twin-engine helicopter, 14 AGM-14 Hellfire missiles, and 56 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II) guided rockets. The expense of the sale is also partly explained by an extensive equipment list, including 15 embedded Global Positioning/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs); 12 M197 20mm gun systems; 30 Tech Refresh mission computers; 14 AN/AAQ-30 target sight systems; 26 Top Owl helmet-mounted displays; 15 APX-117 IFF systems; 15 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems; 15 AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispenser sets; and 15 APR-39C(V)2 radar warning receivers.

The package also includes 12 joint mission planning systems, plus various training and support activities.

The DSCA said that Bahrain will use the helicopters “as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.”