The US Navy foreign military sales office has responded after price and availability requests were cleared by the State Department. Requests for proposals are to follow, with Colombia expected to be the first to decide early next year.
Colombia requires 12 machines and is also looking at the armed version of Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk for anti-drug and counter-insurgency missions. Peru is looking to purchase 8 to 10 machines, but is conducting a wider evaluation that includes the Agusta A129 Mangusta, Eurocopter Tiger and Denel CSH-2 Rooivalk.
Bell is planning to demonstrate the MH-1W in Colombia this year. The helicopter is a multirole version of the US Marine Corps twin-turboshaft AH-1W, fitted with an upgraded forward looking infrared radar, but without the helicopter's precision targeting system.
Sikorsky, meanwhile, has sold six UH-60L helicopters to Colombia that had been completed for Venezuela, but which could not be financed. Colombia already operates 26 Black Hawks.o
Source: Flight International
