The U.S. State Division has determined to approve a potential International Navy Sale to the Authorities of Nigeria of AH-1Z Assault Helicopter Associated FMS Acquisitions and associated gear for an estimated price of $997 million. The Authorities of Nigeria has requested to purchase twelve (12) AH-1Z Assault Helicopters; twenty-eight (28) T-700 GE 401C engines (24 put in, 4 spares); and two thousand (2,000) Superior Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) steering sections. This proposed sale will assist the international coverage objectives and nationwide safety targets of the USA by bettering the safety of a strategic companion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The proposed sale will higher equip Nigeria to contribute to shared safety targets, promote regional stability and construct interoperability with the U.S. and different Western companions. This sale will likely be a serious contribution to U.S. and Nigerian safety objectives. Nigeria could have no issue absorbing the gear and companies into its armed forces.
Additionally included is Evening Imaginative and prescient Cueing Show (NVCD); industrial variant GPS with Customary Positioning Service (SPS); communication gear; digital warfare methods; AN/AVS-9 Aviator’s Evening Imaginative and prescient Imaging System; M197 20mm machine gun; Goal Sight System (TSS); assist gear; spare engine containers; spare and restore elements; instruments and check gear; technical information and publications; personnel coaching and coaching gear; Mission Planning system; U.S. Authorities and contractor engineering; technical, and logistics assist companies; U.S. Authorities and contractor help and oversight of services building to incorporate the provisioning of plans, drawings and specs; $25M of case funds will likely be allotted for institutional and technical help to the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to proceed Air-Floor Integration (AGI) program, which incorporates creating focusing on processes which are legally compliant with Worldwide Humanitarian Regulation and the Legal guidelines of Armed Battle; and different associated parts of logistics and program assist.
Commercial
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is an American twin-engine assault helicopter, primarily based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, that was developed for the USA Marine Corps as a part of the H-1 improve program. The AH-1Z incorporates a four-blade, bearingless, composite primary rotor system, uprated transmission, and a brand new goal sighting system. The AH-1Z, one of many newest members of the prolific Bell Huey household, can also be referred to as “Zulu Cobra”, primarily based on the navy phonetic alphabet pronunciation of its variant letter. The AH-1Z incorporates new rotor know-how with upgraded navy avionics, weapons methods, and electro-optical sensors in an built-in weapons platform. The AH-1Z’s bearingless, hingeless rotor system has 75% fewer elements than that of four-bladed articulated methods. Its two redesigned wing stubs are longer, with every including a wingtip station for a missile such because the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Every wing has two different stations for two.75-inch (70 mm) Hydra 70 rocket pods, or AGM-114 Hellfire quad missile launchers. The AN/APG-78 Longbow fireplace management radar can be mounted on a wingtip station.
The Z-model’s built-in avionics system has been developed by Northrop Grumman. The system consists of two mission computer systems and an computerized flight management system. Every crew station has two 8×6-inch multifunction liquid crystal shows (LCD) and one 4.2×4.2-inch dual-function LCD. The communications suite combines a U.S. Navy RT-1824 built-in radio, UHF/VHF, COMSEC, and modem in a single unit. The navigation suite consists of an embedded GPS inertial navigation system, a digital map system, and Meggitt’s low-airspeed air information subsystem, which permits weapons supply when hovering. Crewmembers are geared up with the Thales “Prime Owl” helmet-mounted sight and show system. The Prime Owl has a 24-hour day/night time functionality and a binocular show with a 40° area of view. Its visor projection supplies forward-looking infrared (FLIR) or video imagery. The Lockheed Martin goal sight system (TSS) incorporates a third-generation FLIR sensor. The TSS supplies goal sighting throughout the day, night time, or beneath opposed climate situations. The system has numerous view modes and might observe with FLIR or by TV.
