The delivery of AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters from the U.S. Marine Corps to the Czech Republic has been delayed.

According to Aktuálně.cz, the shipment of the final eight helicopters, originally scheduled for 2025–2026, will now be postponed by several years, with deliveries expected to take place in 2027–2028.

The helicopters are being transferred from the U.S. Marine Corps inventory, from units stationed in Hawaii.

The U.S. government organized this transfer in 2022 as a gift to the Czech Republic in the form of eight used helicopters. It was a gesture of gratitude for the country’s active contribution of military equipment and aviation to Ukraine.

It is worth noting that the helicopters were initially expected to be delivered by the end of 2023. Later, the plans were adjusted to 2025–2026.

Despite this, the complete delivery of the helicopters is not anticipated within these years and has been postponed to 2027–2028.

“We are now expecting to receive the helicopters around 2027–2028,” Lubor Koudelka, Senior Director of the Armaments and Acquisitions Section of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, shared.

Koudelka explained that he tried to discuss the possibility of speeding up the delivery with the American side but was refused due to the heavy workload of American companies that would have to prepare the helicopters for the appropriate condition.

Czech Helicopter Fleet Update

In August 2019, following a tender process, the Czech Republic selected helicopters manufactured by the American company Bell Helicopter — eight multi-role UH-1Y Venom and four attack AH-1Z Viper helicopters.

The official agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the Czech Republic and the U.S. Department of Defense was signed on December 12, 2019, during a meeting at the Pentagon. The contract’s total value for 12 new helicopters, including additional services, armament (such as Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles), and equipment, amounted to CZK 14.5 billion ($623 million). The contract was completed in 2024.

Helicopter production for the Czech Republic started in 2021. Bell Textron resumed the assembly of UH-1Y Venom, and the first AH-1Z Viper was manufactured in April 2023 at the Amarillo, Texas facility.

The deliveries were made in batches using U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, which delivered the equipment to airports in the Czech Republic, including Náměšť and Pardubice.

Later, in 2022, after the Czech Republic transferred part of its Mi-24/35 helicopters to Ukraine as part of military aid, the United States offered the country additional armament. Under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program, the Czech Republic was given the opportunity to receive eight more upgraded helicopters free of charge: six AH-1Z Viper and two UH-1Y Venom.

The Czech Republic had to pay only for the modernization and transportation of these helicopters. Thus, the total number of helicopters the Czech Republic will receive is 20: 10 UH-1Y Venom and 10 AH-1Z Viper.

Delivery Timeline:

July 2023: The first batch — two AH-1Z Viper helicopters (tail numbers 0486 and 0487) — arrived in the Czech Republic on July 26. The official presentation took place on August 17 with the participation of the Czech Ministry of Defense leadership.

August 2023: The second batch — one UH-1Y Venom (tail number 0490) and one AH-1Z Viper (0488) — was delivered on August 17.

October 2023: The third batch consisted of one UH-1Y Venom and one AH-1Z Viper — delivered on October 3.

January 2024: The fourth batch — two UH-1Y Venom helicopters (tail numbers 0493 and 0494) — arrived on January 11.

March 2024: The fifth batch — two UH-1Y Venom helicopters — was delivered on March 23.

June 2024: The final, sixth batch — two UH-1Y Venom helicopters — arrived at Pardubice airport on June 13, completing the delivery of eight UH-1Y Venom and four AH-1Z Viper helicopters within the main contract.