US offers 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters to Slovakia for providing MiG-29 jets to Ukraine

Europe, News, US March 23, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The United States has offered Slovakia to buy $1 billion worth of 12 new AH-1Z attack helicopters for $340 million after Bratislava sent its 12 older MiG-21 fighter jets to Ukraine.

According to Slovakian Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad, the U.S. is offering his country to buy a dozen new helicopters by paying only one-third of their prices over the course of three to four years. Two-thirds of the cost of the new helicopters would be covered by the U.S. Foreign Military Financing Program.

The Slovakian military currently operates no combat helicopters. Nad mentioned that “this offer is hugely advantageous and will significantly increase Slovakia’s defense potential.” The deal also includes the provision of training, parts, and armaments for the helicopters consisting of more than 500 AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles. The Slovakian government is yet to announce whether they have accepted the offer for the U.S.

The Bell AH-1Z helicopter is designed to operate and destroy targets in the most extreme environments. The attack helicopter has fully-integrated air-to-air missile capability giving it an airborne edge. It can accurately identify long-range targets and has the third-generation Target Sight System providing greater reach and precision.

Slovakia also signed a deal with its NATO partner U.S. to acquire 14 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets, but delivery was pushed back two years due to the increased demand after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the first aircraft to arrive in early 2024, alongside the offer from the U.S.

*^{U.S. Marines Ah-1Z Viper attack and reconnaissance helicopter. (Image Credit: Bell Flight)}*

The European Union has also offered compensation of around $260 million dollars to Slovakia for providing its older MiG-29 jets to Ukraine.

Slovakia is sending at least 13 Soviet-made refurbished MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine after bringing them back from retirement. Bratislava became the second NATO member country to do so after Poland.

Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Eduard Heger wrote on Twitter that military aid is key to ensuring Ukraine can defend itself and entire Europe against Russia. He said that “promises must be kept and when [Ukrainian President] Zelenskyy asked for more weapons including fighter jets, I said we’ll do our best”.

Warsaw would also be delivering about a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets to Kyiv in full working order after preparing them to be combat-ready. According to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the deliveries of the first four MiG-29 aircraft could be made within “four to six weeks”.

*^{Polish Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet. (Image Credit: Twitter/@CNNPolitics)}*

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been pleading to attain fighter jets from its allies to fight Russia’s recent advances. During his trip to Europe and the U.S., Zelenskyy repeatedly asked his allies and partners to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, however, several countries including UK, Germany, and the U.S. have been skeptical about providing fighter jets to Ukraine due to the complicated logistics and the fear of escalation.