US Approves $575 Million Bell UH-1Y Helicopters Sale to Czech Republic

The US State Department has approved a possible sale to the Czech Republic for 12 Bell UH-1Y attack and utility helicopters estimated to cost $575 million.

The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron and General Electric Company.

The Government of the Czech Republic has requested the possible sale of twelve (12) UH-1Y utility helicopters, twenty-five (25) T-700 GE 401C engines (twenty-four (24) installed, one (1) spare), thirteen (13) Honeywell Embedded GPS/INS (EGI) (twelve (12) installed, one (1) spare), and twelve (12) 7.62mm M240 Machine Guns.

This request also includes Brite Star II FLIR system, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) (includes the AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning and Laser Detection System, AN/ALE-47 Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) and the AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)), Joint Mission Planning Systems, Helmet Mounted Displays, communication equipment, small caliber gun systems including GAU-17A and GAU-21, electronic warfare systems, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)  and Mode 4/5 transponder.

Also included is support equipment, spare engine containers, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering and other related elements of logistics and program support.  The estimated cost is $575 million.

The Czech Republic intends to use these helicopters to modernize its armed forces and strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats. This will contribute to the Czech Republic’s military goal of updating its capabilities.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on October 11, 2017.