Navy exercises Bell contract option

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy announced plans to exercise a contract option on a deal with Bell Helicopter for 15 additional aircraft.

U.S. company Bell Helicopter was notified by the Navy that a $210 million contract option would be exercised. Officials say the contract option is for Lot 5 of the H-1 Upgrade Program that includes 15 additional aircraft.

Under the deal, Bell will supply 11 UH-1Y Venom medium-size utility helicopters and four AH-1Z Viper twin-engine attack helicopters.

Bell, a subsidiary of defense contractor Textron Inc., is now under contract to "produce a total of 49 upgraded H-1 aircraft for the U.S. military, 37 UH-1Y utility aircraft and 12 AH-1Z attack aircraft," the release said.