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United States Bell
AH-1Z Viper
A four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter developed for the U.S. Marine Corps as the ultimate evolution of the Bell Cobra line, sharing 84 percent parts commonality with the UH-1Y Venom. It fields the Longbow-compatible fire-control radar and networked targeting systems for shipboard and expeditionary operations.
In service since 2010 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
411
km/h
685
km range
6,096
m ceiling
2,500
kg payload
💲 ≈ $31,000,000, Approximate unit flyaway cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2010. Status: active · ~200 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$78M – $109M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the AH-1Z Viper can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 411 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 296 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 685 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 6,096 m |
| Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat. | 15 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 6 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 2,500 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Crashworthy crew seats with armored cockpit protection |
|---|---|
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | AN/AAR-47 missile warning system, AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispenser, chaff, flares |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 17.98 m |
|---|---|
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.37 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 5,580 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 8,392 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft, 1800 hp each |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,800 hp |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turboshaft |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | Lockheed Martin Target Sight System, helmet-mounted display, Longbow-compatible fire control radar (optional) |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $31,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 200 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 3 |
Specifications compiled from public Bell and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator Head-to-head comparisons
AH-1Z Viper vs
Z-10 
LAH Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Bell AH-1Z Viper? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper has a maximum speed of 411 km/h.
What is the range of the Bell AH-1Z Viper? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper has a maximum range of 685 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Bell AH-1Z Viper? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper can carry up to 2,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Bell AH-1Z Viper weigh? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper has a combat weight of 8,392 kg.
How many crew does the Bell AH-1Z Viper require? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Bell AH-1Z Viper? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper's primary weapon is the 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling cannon.
What engine does the Bell AH-1Z Viper use? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is powered by the 2x General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft, 1800 hp each.
What is the Bell AH-1Z Viper used for? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Bell AH-1Z Viper? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the Bell AH-1Z Viper cost? +
The Bell AH-1Z Viper has an approximate unit cost of 31,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Boeing
AH-64E Apache Guardian
Boeing
AH-64D Apache Longbow
Bell
AH-1W Super Cobra
Russian Helicopters
Ka-52 Alligator
Related coverage
AH-1Z Viper in the news
Article comparison · Aug 17, 2026
Attack Helicopter Climb Rate: Why More Power Isn't Faster
AH-1Z Viper tops 22 database helicopters at 15.24 m/s climb, but hp-per-kg barely predicts who's fastest (r=-0.11), and fighters still climb 15-20x quicker.
Article comparison · Jul 17, 2026
The Apache Isn't Even a Top-15 Attack Helicopter by Speed
The AH-64E Apache Guardian ranks 18th of 29 attack helicopters in the WeaponSpecs database by published top speed. The Army built a faster one, then cancelled it.
Article industry · Jul 6, 2026
Attack Helicopter Payload Ratio: Apache Ranks Last
The AH-64E Apache carries just 7.4% of combat weight as weapons payload, the lowest ratio of 17 attack helicopters, versus the AH-1Z Viper's 29.8%.