Product Type: |
Attack Helicopter |
Using Service (US): |
Marine Corps (USMC) |
Program Status: |
In Full Rate Production (FRP) |
Prime Contractor: |
Bell Helicopter (Textron) |
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a two seat, twin engine, single rotor attack helicopter.
It is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines with 1,800 shp each.
The AH-1Z is based on the AH-1W Super Cobra and features a new four-bladed composite rotor system,
performance-matched transmission, four-bladed tail rotor, upgraded landing gear and a fully integrated glass cockpit.
Notable equipment on the AH-1Z are the Lockheed Martin
AN/AAQ-30 TSS Hawkeye EO/IR fire control system, the Thales TopOwl Helmet Mounted Sight and Display System,
the AN/ARC-210 Digital Communication System, and the Raytheon AN/APX-100 Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) transponder.
The primary navigation system is the CN-1689(V)2/ASN Embedded GPS/INS supported by the AN/ARN-153(V) TACAN System
and DF-301E VHF/UHF Direction Finder.
Aircraft countermeasures include the AN/APR-39A Radar Warning Receiver, AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning System, AN/AVR-2A Laser Warning System,
and the BAE Systems AN/ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasures Dispenser System.
The H–1 Helicopter Upgrade program converts AH–1W Super Cobra and UH–1N Huey helicopters to the AH–1Z Viper
and UH-1Y Venom, respectively.
The upgraded helicopters will have increased maneuverability, speed, and payload capability. The upgrades include a new four-bladed
rotor system, new transmissions, a new four-bladed tail rotor and drive system + upgraded landing gear. Also, this program provides for
UH-1Y and AH-1Z new build rotorcraft.
The Marine Corps is replacing the two-bladed AH-1W Super Cobra with the AH-1Z Viper, which features a new four-bladed composite rotor system,
performance-matched transmission, four-bladed tail rotor, upgraded landing gear and a fully integrated glass cockpit.
The 84% parts commonality between the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y is expected to significantly reduce life-cycle costs and the logistical
footprint of the aircraft, while increasing the maintainability and deployability.
The AH-1Z upgrade program was originally structured as a recapitalization effort to convert 127 AH-1W helicopters into AH-1Zs and build 62 new AH-1Zs.
However, the increasing costs of AH-1W Super Cobra remanufacturing due to heavy wartime use and the latest cost estimates
for AH-1Z new-build cabins indicate that purchasing all AH-1Zs as new-build aircraft will cost less.
Also, by eliminating the AH-1W remanufacture process, the Marine Corps is able to recover more quickly from its current
critical attack helicopter shortfall. The procurement strategy has been revised to exclusively purchase AH-1Z new-build aircraft beginning in FY 2013.
With these changes, the revised AH-1Z procurement strategy is to convert 37 AH-1W helicopters into AH-1Zs and build 152 new AH-1Zs.
The AH-1Z Viper is equipped with a General Dynamics M197 20mm three-barreled gatling gun capable of firing up to 1,500 shots per minute. The Viper carries a combination of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles (AIM-9X projected), and 2.75" (70mm) Hydra-70 rockets. In the future, the AH-1Z will carry the Joint-Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), which is currently being developed by the Army and Navy in cooperation with Lockheed Martin. JAGM will replace the AGM-114 Hellfire Missile.
A 15-year AH-1Z production forecast is available through Forecast International's Platinum Forecast System, which includes a breakout of total market unit and value statistics by manufacturer and end-user. This real-time service also includes information on all prime and subcontractors, contract awards, worldwide inventories, a complete program history, and a rationale detailing the outlook of the program. A 10-year AH-1Z production forecast is also available in report format through Forecast International's Rotorcraft Forecast service.
The AH-1Z attack helicopter provides rotary wing close air support, anti-armor, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance and fire support coordination capabilities for the U.S. Marine Corps under day/night and adverse weather conditions.
This data is available in Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, a comprehensive analytical database containing historical and forecast budget figures, year-to-year funding comparisons, congressional budget markups, program justification documents, and much more.
Sources Used: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Bell Helicopter,
General Dynamics, General Electric, Lockheed Martin Corp., and Thales Group.
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Rotorcraft Forecast: |
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Complete and detailed information, including production forecast data, is provided in our Market Intelligence Service: Rotorcraft Forecast. |
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