Navy contracts with Bell Helicopter for two AH-1Z Vipers

Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Bell Helicopter Textron has been awarded a contract modification for the manufacture and delivery of two Bell AH-1Z Viper twin-engine attack helicopter to the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense announced on Wednesday.

The deal is estimated to be worth more than $38.3 million and is classified as a fixed-price-incentive-firm contract, meaning that once performance on the contract is complete, Bell Helicopter Textron and the U.S. government will renegotiate the final cost of the deal.

The Bell AH-1Z Viper is built to meet the requirements for the United States Marine Corps, and frequently is deployed as a part of a Marine Air Ground Task Force.

The AH-1Z Viper is the only attack helicopter in the world with a fully-integrated air-to-air missile capability, Bell says. The Bell AH-1Z's Target Sight System also provides the longest range and highest accuracy of any helicopter currently in existence.

About 60 percent of the contract work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, the other 40 percent will be completed in Amarillo, Texas. The project is expected to be completed in November 2019.

U.S. Navy fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $38.3 million will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.