{"id":39147,"date":"2019-07-18T14:57:19","date_gmt":"2019-07-18T14:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/18\/bell-boeing-position-for-australian-helicopter-gunship-program\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:06:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:06:29","slug":"bell-boeing-position-for-australian-helicopter-gunship-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/asia-pacific\/2019\/07\/18\/bell-boeing-position-for-australian-helicopter-gunship-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Bell, Boeing position for Australian helicopter gunship program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2013 Bell and Boeing are positioning their respective attack helicopter offerings for Australia, which has unexpectedly kicked off an acquisition process to replace its Eurocopter Tiger helicopters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bell is offering its AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter, noting in a media statement that \u201cthe Bell AH-1Z is the only marinized attack helicopter in the world that is designed and built for maritime operations and is proven in operations with the United States Marines Corps.\u201d, noting that in addition to protection against saltwater the type is designed and built from the outset to conform with shipboard operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Boeing Australia has said it will put forward the AH-64E Apache for the Australian program, noting in a statement to Defense News that the AH-64E \u201cis an affordable, proven and low-risk platform that meets or exceeds the Commonwealth of Australia\u2019s capability requirements under the LAND-4503 program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s Capability, Acquisition and Sustainment Group or CASG had issued a Request for Information, or RFI, on July 1 for a \u201cproven and mature, manned, off-the-shelf armed helicopter\u201d to replace its fleet of 22 Eurocopter Tiger armed reconnaissance aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program seeks a total of 29 helicopters for the Australian Army, with 24 helicopters for operational taskings and the remainder as training aircraft. The primary role of the chosen type would be to perform \u201creconnaissance, attack and security operations\u201d that include the ability to share the tactical picture of the battlespace with friendly elements and force commanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\t