U.S. Marine Corps receives last of 189 AH-1Z Viper helicopters

Here's What We Know

In 2014, the Navy agreed with Bell Textron to purchase UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters. The value of the contract was nearly $340 million. The service originally wanted to order 168 modified Viper aircraft, but then changed its plans.

Deliveries of 160 UH-1Y Venom completed in 2018. They replaced the UH-1N Twin Huey. The last AH-1Z Viper, on the other hand, has only now reached its owner. The U.S. Marine Corps now has 349 H-1 helicopters.

In a press release, Bell Textron has produced H-1s for the U.S. Armed Forces since 1959. The Marine Corps ordered its first batch of H-1s in 1962. Since the first delivery of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, the helicopters have flown more than 450,000 hours.

Source: Bell Textron