https://verticalmag.com/news/czechs-pre ... and-viper/
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Later this year,
the armed forces of the Czech Republic will begin receiving 12 Bell H-1 aircraft
— four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and eight UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters.
The twin-engine, four-bladed platforms are modern variants of the AH-1 Cobra and UH-1 Huey.
Delivery of the first four — potentially two Vipers and two Venom — is expected in May 2023,
and that has required some significant adjustments for LOM Praha,
a state-owned enterprise that will assume responsibility for lifecycle support of the new fleets.
The Czech Air Force currently operates
15 Mi-171 and five Mi-17 transport helicopters and 10 Mi-24 larger attack and transport helicopters
that are interoperable with NATO partners.
The Mi-171 operates with the NATO Special Operations Air Tasking Unit
and about half are scheduled
to undergo a major upgrade
that will include a full glass cockpit, and new armor and weapons.
The Russian “design school” is based on what he called “safe life,”
where a part is replaced after a certain number of flying hours, no matter its condition.
The “Western approach” is more about frequent checks, component tolerance and integrity, and replacement as required, he said.
“In the Russian way of maintenance,
there is a big general overhaul — after seven years or 1,500 flight hours,” he explained.
“Everything stops for a year while the aircraft is overhauled.
On [the Bell helicopters] there is no such huge maintenance — the maintenance is cut into smaller checks.”
The company is also eyeing the possibility of an expanded H1 fleet
as the Czech government completes negotiations with the U.S. for eight more helicopters.
The state of the additional aircraft and the scope of the work required are still to be determined, Kalita said,
but the deal could involve
two more Venom and eight more Viper helicopters from the U.S. Marine Corps.
“These eight helicopters need to be modified
because they are an older version and they don’t meet the standard which is produced right now,” he said.
Final assembly would be completed in the Czech Republic.
Even as it prepares to take on the H1 maintenance,
LOM Praha remains committed to the Mi “workhorses,”
many of which are expected to operate until the mid-2030s.
After Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022 and parts support became almost impossible,
LOM Praha was appointed as a type certificate holder
for the Mi-17 and Mi-171 by the Czech Military Airworthiness Authority (MAA).
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