received a $20m contract to develop tooling
required for the new-build aircraft. It also
included integration and quali cation efforts
associated with the installation of -401C
engines in the new AH-1Zs. The rst new-build
aircraft were funded as part of LRIP Lot VII.
The three-phase Initial Operational Test &
Evaluation (OPEVAL) concluded in July 2010
and full-rate production was approved on
November 28. Ultimately, the small difference
in the cost of remanufacturing versus
building new aircraft resulted in the decision
to pursue an all new-build AH-1Z strategy in
December 2011 and just 37 AH-1Ws were
remanufactured.
Announced in 2006, the Marine Corps
‘Grow the Force’ plan, which called for an
active duty force of 202,000 personnel and
three balanced Marine Expeditionary Forces
(MEF) by 2011, caused another change to the
H-1 Upgrades programme. To support the
expansion, planners determined that 23 UH-
1Ys and 46 AH-1Zs beyond the planned eet
of 280 aircraft would be required.
In response to this requirement, the
program of record (POR) was increased to
349 aircraft, comprising 226 AH-1Zs and 123
UH-1Ys.
Because the UH-1Y’s performance
and capabilities exceeded expectations, it
was decided to revise the HMLA squadron
composition to include 15 AH-1Zs and 12 UH-
1Ys. As a result, the aircraft mix was revised
to include 189 AH-1Zs and 160 UH-1Ys. The
current procurement objective for the AH-1Z
encompasses 152 new-build aircraft, along
with the 37 remanufactured Vipers.OPERATIONS
Deliveries to Marine light attack helicopter
training squadron HMLAT-303 at MCAS Camp
Pendleton, California, began in 2009 and the
AH-1Z achieved initial operational capability
(IOC) with Marine light attack helicopter
squadron HMLA-367 on February 25, 2011.
The rst operational deployment began
when a detachment of four Vipers from HMLA-
367 was embarked aboard the USS Makin
Island (LHD 8) as part of the 11th Marine
Expeditionary Unit’s (MEU) aviation combat
element (ACE) in November 2011. Returning
to Camp Pendleton, the choppers were
transferred to HMLA-267, which
became the rst complete
squadron to transition to
the AH-1Z.A detachment of eight HMLA-267 Vipers
introduced the AH-1Z to the 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing (MAW), when it arrived at MCAS
Futenma, Okinawa, in late November 2016 to
support the Unit Deployment Program (UDP).
Vipers are currently own by three
operational squadrons, as well as the eet
replacement squadron (FRS) at Camp
Pendleton. Test and evaluation duties are
handled by air test and evaluation squadron
HX-21 at NAS Patuxent River, and Marine
Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron
VMX-1 at MCAS Yuma, Arizona.
The Marine light attack helicopter
squadrons (HMLA) that each operate a mixed
eet of 15 Vipers and 12 UH-1Y Venoms
allows the HMLA to eld three separate AH-
1Z detachments that are each assigned ve
helicopters. When deployed as part of an
MEU, a detachment typically also includes
four UH-1Ys. The active duty squadrons had
previously operated 18 AH-1Ws, alongside
nine UH-1Ys.
Conversion of the 3rd MAW’s three
operational squadrons to the AH-1Z is
complete, but HMLAT-303 continues to
support AH-1W pilots destined for the
2nd and 4th MAW units. The last class of
Category I (new) AH-1W pilots will complete
their training late this year.
AH-1Zs are currently replacing the AH-
1Ws that remain assigned to HMLA-367
at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. When the
squadron has received its full complement
of Vipers this year, the transition of two
squadrons assigned to the 2nd MAW at
MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, will get
underway. Transition of the 4th MAW two
reserve squadrons will follow in mid-FY 2020.The AH-1Z is expected to achieve IOC
with the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) in
FY 2019. The TOW/Hell re replacement will
initially feature a dual-mode semi-active laser
(SAL) and millimeter wave (MMW) seeker
and will later receive an imaging infrared
(IIR) mode. Additional upgrades for the Zulu
include digitally interoperable full motion video
(DI-FMV), integrated ASE and the AN/ALQ-
231 Intrepid Tiger II electronic warfare pod.INTERNATIONAL SALES
Several potential international customers have
shown interest in the Zulu. However, Pakistan
became the rst to purchase the AH-1Z in
August 2015, when three were ordered. The
foreign military sale (FMS) of 15 AH-1Zs and
1,000 AGM-114 missiles had been approved
in April 2015.
Pakistan subsequently ordered nine
additional Vipers in April 2016. The rst
of the helicopters was completed by Bell
and accepted by the US Navy on behalf of
Pakistan in September last year.
In August 2017, the Romanian Defence
Minister signed a letter of intent with Bell
Helicopter that may lead to the purchase of
Vipers. The AH-1Zs would likely be assembled
in Romania by the state-owned defence group,
Romarm. Romania is one of several Eastern
European countries identi ed by Bell as
potential customers for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y.
The contractor has also offered the
AH-1Z and UH-1Y to Poland, which has a
requirement for around 32 combat helicopters
to replace its eet of Russian-built Mi-24s.
In October 2017, the Royal Thai Army
(RTA) revealed that the AH-1Z is one of
several attack helicopters under consideration
to replace its small eet of single-engine AH-
1F Cobras.
Bell also hopes to sell the AH-1Z to the
Republic of Korea, which recently revealed
plans to establish an aviation helicopter group
within the Republic of Korea Marine Corps
(ROKMC). The US State Department had
previously given its approval to the possible
FMS sale of 36 AH-1Zs to Korea in 2012.
To mid-October 2017, Bell Helicopter
had delivered 77 AH-1Zs to the
Marine Corps and 137 are under
contract. Current plans
call for procurement
to conclude in FY
2019.26 Aviation News incorporating Jets February 2018AH-1Z BuNo 168961 from HMLA-267 operates
above the clouds alongside Mount Fuji,
Japan, in March 2017. Known as the Stingers,
HMLA-267 was attached to Marine aircraft
group MAG-36 in support of the 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing’s Unit Deployment Program and
is normally stationed at Camp Pendleton,
California. USMC/L Cpl Andy Martinez22-26_ah1zDC.mfDC.mf.indd 26 05/01/2018 14:01