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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.
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.
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 Top 3% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 296 km/h Top 5% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 685 km Stronger than 47% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 6,096 m Stronger than 81% of helicopters
- Rate of climb
How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.
- 15 m/s Top 2% of helicopters
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 Stronger than 88% of helicopters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 2,500 kg Top 6% of helicopters
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 Stronger than 46% of helicopters
- 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 Stronger than 58% of helicopters
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 200 Stronger than 53% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 3 Stronger than 48% of helicopters
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
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Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator 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.
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