Clash Report reported the information.The preliminary agreement, announced by Bell's Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Jeffrey Schlosser, marks a potential breakthrough in Ukraine's efforts to modernize its rotary-wing fleet under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. While the deal remains non-binding and exploratory with no confirmed quantities or timelines, discussions also include the possibility of establishing local production and maintenance facilities on Ukrainian soil.Ukrainian military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko, who has advocated for such acquisitions since 2019, emphasized the critical importance of these helicopters for countering drone threats. "This is a very important acquisition in terms of countering threats like the Shahed-136," Kovalenko noted, highlighting the operational advantages over Ukraine's current Soviet-era fleet.The AH-1Z Viper, a twin-engine attack helicopter, comes equipped with a 20mm M197 cannon and can deploy APKWS guided rockets, AIM-9 air-to-air missiles, and AGM-114/AGM-179 air-to-ground missiles. The UH-1Y Venom serves as a multi-role platform capable of transporting up to 12 troops while maintaining strike capabilities with APKWS rockets and door-mounted machine guns.Cost efficiency represents a significant factor in the potential acquisition. Current Ukrainian operations rely heavily on aging Soviet-era Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters for intercepting Shahed drones, with operational costs reaching $4,500 and $6,000 per flight hour respectively, alongside fuel consumption of 700-1,200 liters per hour. The proposed American helicopters offer comparable or improved performance at potentially lower operational costs—the AH-1Z Viper's flight hour costs approximately $3,500 with fuel consumption of 600-800 liters in cruise mode, while the UH-1Y Venom matches the Mi-8's $4,500 hourly rate but with modern capabilities.Kovalenko suggested that delivery timelines could align with the U.S. Navy's annual surplus equipment sales scheduled for next year, though official confirmation remains pending. "The most important question is—when?" he stated, expressing cautious optimism about the agreement's implementation.