Bell Helicopter says development work on the H-1 upgrade programme is on track and the manufacturer is now training its sights on winning two lucrative attack helicopter contests which would provide export customers for the AH-1Z Zulu Cobra.
The uprated machine, developed from the AH-1W, is competing in Turkey and Poland which have a total requirement for more than 200 helicopters.
"Those contests are still to be figured out but we know our technology is more than a match for anything out there," says Bell vice-president Jeff Pino.
Ground runs will begin in the second quarter of next year, says Pino, with approximately 200 AH-1Ws eventually being modified to the new -Z configuration and 100 UH-1Ns upgraded to UH-1Ys.
The aircraft will share the same all-composite rotor system, drive train, engines, transmission, hydraulic systems and tail boom - a commonality which Bell says will be a crucial cost benefit once the types come into service.
Meanwhile, Pino also confirms that Bell is still pressing the Australian government to look again at the AH-1Z for the Air 87 programme after the aircraft was excluded from the armed reconnaissance helicopter project shortlist.
Source: Flight Daily News
