The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Bahrain of equipment and services to refurbish Excess Defense Article (EDA) AH-1W multi-role attack helicopters. The estimated total cost is $350 million. The Government of Bahrain has requested to buy equipment and services to refurbish twenty-four (24) Excess Defense Article (EDA) AH-1W multi-role helicopters. Included are services to refurbish a full-motion Aircraft Procedures Trainer (APT), M272A1 missile launchers and spare T-700-GE-401 aircraft engines, spare parts, support, training, publications, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East. The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to fulfill maritime patrol, close air support, and search and rescue missions. Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) will have no difficulty absorbing these defense articles and services into its armed forces. The principal contractor will be Bell Corporation, Fort Worth, TX.AdvertisementA U.S. Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra fires rockets during an evolution at Mt. Barrow, Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range. (Photo by Cpl. Summer S. Dowding/USMC)The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engined attack helicopter that was developed on behalf of, and primarily operated by, the United States Marine Corps (USMC). During the mid 1980s, the AH-1W variant entered service with the USMC. During the mid 1980s, the AH-1W variant entered service with the USMC.[22] Between, 1986 to 1999, the service took delivery of 179 Super Cobras. In October 2020, the U.S. Marine Corps retired the last of its AH-1Ws after 34 years of service, having replacing the type with the Bell AH-1Z Viper. By the time of their retirement, the model had collectively accumulated 933,614 flight hours.The Royal Bahraini Air Force currently operates 30 examples of the Cobra, in the E/F attack standards and P-model training configuration. The in-service assets are an average of 27 years old. Bell has already delivered a flight training device to legacy AH-1 Cobra operator Bahrain to support its introduction of the new model. In November 2018, Bahrain confirmed the order for 12 AH-1Zs The first Bahrain AH-1Zs made their in-country debut during the Bahrain Air Show and six have been delivered in country. The final six helicopters will be prepared for shipment to Bahrain with the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) before being transported to Bahrain in 2023.Bell has completed the Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter program of record (POR) for the Royal Bahraini Air Force. (Photo by Bell Textron)Share this:FacebookRedditPinterestTwitterLinkedInRelated posts:BAE Systems’ APKWS Successfully Tested by Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems OfficeThe Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO) has successfully…Turkish Aerospace Industries Unveils New Anka-3 Unmanned Combat Aerial VehicleTurkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has revealed the technical futures of…Canadian Government Requests Pricing for 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol AircraftsAs part of its defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, the…Qatari Emiri Air Force NH90 Helicopter Fleet Reaches 1,000 Flight HoursThe programme reached 1,000 flight hours in service on 28th…Australian Company SYPAQ Systems Supporting Ukrainian Armed ForcesSYPAQ Systems is proud to be delivering sovereign Australian autonomous…Lufthansa Technik Hands Over A350 “Theodor Heuss” to German Armed ForcesLufthansa Technik AG today handed over another new Airbus A350…Turkish Tech Firm Robit Technology Unveils Azab Multipurpose Kamikaze DroneTurkish tech firm Robit Technology has developed a new multipurpose…Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Programme to Secure 26,000 Jobs in Spain Until 2060The Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter programme will cumulatively secure 26,000 jobs…Portugal and Romania Are Incoming to Lithuania for Their Baltic Air Policing RotationPortugal and Romania are the Allies lined up to take…AERALIS Announces Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with AerogilityAERALIS, the transformational British military jet developer, has signed a…