The first two Czech AH-1Z Vipers arrived in the country in mid-August 2023. (Photo: US Naval Air Systems Command)
The sale of Lockheed Martin Hellfire and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) missiles to the Czech Republic has been approved by the US State Department under a Foreign Military Sales deal announced on 17 July.
The Czech Republic requested 200 AGM-114R Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles, four Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles and 600 WGU-59A/B APKWS II (single variant).
Also included is support equipment, dummy cartridge rounds, containers, training material, inert components, publications and training, and technical support.
The missiles will be used with the Czech Republic’s four AH-1Z Viper helicopters helicopters which are being purchased through USMC H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter programme office (PMA-276) and industry partner, Bell, under a deal signed in 2019.
The AGM-114R Hellfire II consolidates the capabilities of all previous Hellfire II variants, equipped with semi-active laser seekers, into a single missile with a new multipurpose warhead.
The APKWS II has been demonstrated on more than 12 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. It is in service with the US Army, US Marine Corps, US Navy and US Air Force and has been exported to more than 12 countries.
The first representative Eurofighter Typhoon flew in 1994 and entered operational service in 2003. Two decades later the company is working to ensure the platform’s relevance beyond the middle of the century.
The KC-390 demonstrator was en route to Brazil after a display at the Farnborough Airshow in the UK.
The delivery would mark an end to long delays in the programme with additional aircraft expected through to 2027.
Boeing has seen a renewed demand for the Apache attack helicopter with Poland and Australia becoming customers, while India, the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Egypt have also bought new aircraft or upgraded platforms.
Under mostly clear skies, a couple of showers and the roar of the newest variant of Boeing’s venerable F-15, there was a lot of talk at Farnborough International Airshow 2024 about how to make supply chains stronger in the face of high demands and a lingering post-Covid pandemic effect.
Greece has signed an offer for 20 F-35 aircraft with an option on 20 more platforms.
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