US-based aerospace manufacturer Bell Textron has been awarded a contract worth $455m to supply the Nigerian Government with 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters.
On 12 March 2024, Bell Textron, Inc., based in Fort Worth (TX), was awarded the firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of the helicopters.
Per the terms of the deal, TXT’s Bell unit will manufacture and supply 12 AH-1Z helicopters to the government of Nigeria. Along with this, it will also provide associated engineering, program management and logistics support, and non-recurring engineering for obsolescence in relation to these helicopters.
The contract, awarded by the US Naval Air Systems Command, includes the production and delivery of the helicopters, along with associated engineering, programme management, and logistics support. The majority of the work related to this deal will be carried out in Fort Worth, TX, and is expected to be completed by July 2028.
This new contract is coming a few weeks after Northrop Grumman was awarded a USD7.7 million contract modification “for the production and delivery of an additional 32 H-1 tech refresh mission computers in support of the AH-1Z Viper acquisition program.
Additionally, Bell Textron will provide non-recurring engineering services to address obsolescence issues, ensuring the helicopters remain operationally effective throughout their service life.
The US State Department first approved the sale in 2022, but the estimated cost it originally revealed was nearly $1 billion. At the time, the State Department announced that the Nigerian government’s requested to procure 12 AH-1Z helicopters and 28 T-700 401C engines from General Electric (NYSE: GE) under a potential $997 million FMS deal.
In July 2021, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed clearing a proposed sale of twelve Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters to the Nigerian military, pausing the deal worth approximately USD $875 million, due to issues regarding potential human rights violations by the Nigerian authorities.
In addition to the helicopters, the proposed sale included 28 engines, fourteen aircraft navigation systems, and 2,000 advanced precision kill weapon systems. It was unclear in 2021 whether the requested sale was for new-built AH-1Z Vipers or second-hand AH-1W Super Cobras. Related news items only mentioned the Bell AH-1 Cobra.
Conversely, the ascension of President Donald Trump to office in 2016 marked a shift in policy. The Trump administration consented to the sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria. These aircraft, which are produced by the Sierra Nevada Corporation within the United States, have subsequently been utilized by Nigeria in its efforts against terrorist factions. This deal marks a milestone in Nigeria’s military modernisation efforts.
The new-built Vipers will join the six TAI T129 ATAK attack helicopters, the first two of which were noted in October of the previous year, with all expected to be delivered by the first quarter of 2024. The Vipers will likely be operated by the 115th Special Operations Group (SOG) at Port Harcourt.
Once delivered, the Viper helicopters are expected to enhance Nigeria’s air defense capabilities and help uphold regional stability. The Nigerian Air Force needs these attack helicopters to increase its firepower and strengthen the country’s counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaigns.
They will also bolster the country’s interoperability with the US and other Western partners, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, the AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine helicopter that serves as the primary rotor-wing ground attack aircraft of the US Marine Corps.
It can perform close air support, aerial reconnaissance, and other military missions in the most extreme environments.
The Viper can carry a two-person crew (a pilot and a co-pilot/gunner) and fly at a maximum speed of 200 knots (370 kilometers/230 miles per hour).
It also has an operational range of 310 nautical miles (574 kilometers) and can support missions day or night.
Bell Textron describes the AH-1Z as the only attack chopper in the world with fully-integrated air-to-air missile capability, thanks to the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles attached to its weapons bay.
Meanwhile, the African market for military helicopters is expected to account for a cumulative spending of US$2.2 billion through 2023-2028, making it one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.