Bell Textron has established a Ukrainian subsidiary to support its potential sale of AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The newly formed entity, Bell Textron Ukraine, will act as a central hub for the company’s activities in the country, including future efforts related to helicopter assembly, maintenance, and repair. The US-based manufacturer also plans to set up a dedicated office to coordinate industrial cooperation initiatives.
This move follows the signing of a letter of intent in October between Bell and Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy, Ecology, and Agriculture, covering potential aircraft sales and broader industrial collaboration. Any acquisition would proceed through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, requiring approval from Washington.
With unit costs exceeding $50 million for the AH-1Z Viper and approximately $30 million for the UH-1Y Venom, the total deal could surpass $1 billion, presenting a significant financial hurdle for Ukraine. The next phase would involve production, local assembly, and personnel training, with training alone expected to take around seven months.
The AH-1Z Viper features a 20mm M197 cannon and six weapon stations capable of carrying a wide range of munitions, including APKWS II guided rockets for counter-drone missions. It can also deploy AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-179 JAGM missiles, making it effective against armored targets, and stands out as the only rotorcraft with fully integrated air-to-air missile capability.
Meanwhile, the UH-1Y Venom is expected to modernize Ukraine’s transport helicopter fleet, which currently relies on Soviet-era Mi-8 and Mi-24 platforms, along with aging Western systems such as the Super Puma. The helicopter has a maximum takeoff weight of 8.4 tonnes, is powered by twin T700-GE-401C engines, and can reach speeds of up to 315 kilometers per hour, with a range of 600 kilometers and a combat radius of 220 kilometers.
Both platforms share roughly 85 percent component commonality, enabling streamlined maintenance and improved operational flexibility.
