Bell Helicopter Wins AH-1Z Helicopter, Parts Contract From US Marines, Pakistan

Bell Helicopter has won a $581 million advance acquisition contract that inclcudes manufacture and deliver 19 Lot 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to US marines and Pakistan.

The contract also includes manufacture and deliver 15 Lot 12 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters, one Lot 13 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter and 21 auxiliary fuel kits for the Marine Corps and Pakistan.

Work is expected to be completed in August 2018, the company announced Tuesday.

Fiscal 2014 and 2015 aircraft procurement (Navy) and foreign military sales funds will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($523 million ; 90 percent) and the government of Pakistan ($57 million; 10 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.