Potential AH-1Z sale to Pakistan announced as Islamabad tests Chinese competitor

The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency's (DSCA's) 6 April announcement of the potential sale of 15 Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to the Pakistan Army follows reports that the country is testing at least three Chinese CHAIG WZ-10 attack helicopters.

The DSCA notification described the AH-1Z, which is currently only in US Marine Corps service, as providing "Pakistan with a precision-strike, enhanced-survivability aircraft that it can operate at high altitudes. By acquiring this capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency [NWA], the Federally Administered Tribal Areas [FATA], and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments".

The WZ-10s reportedly arrived at the Pakistan Army's Qasim Army Aviation base near Rawalpindi in late 2014. A senior Pakistani government official told IHS Jane'son 8 April that "the Chinese helicopters are being used in anti-terror operations" without giving further information on the types of operations where they have been used. He added that Pakistan and China "are looking at further collaboration in helicopters" without revealing further details.

The Pakistan Army received 20 AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters from the US from 1984 that were upgraded to AH-1F standard and equipped with C-NITE (Cobra Night Imaging Thermal Equipment) and TOW missile day/night capability. Twelve ex-US Army AH-1Fs were delivered in 2006-07, but these do not feature C-NITE and are limited to daylight operations.

Meanwhile, IHS Jane's reported in November 2014 that Pakistan and Russia were closing in on discussions for Moscow's possible sale of a batch of Mi-35 'Hind' attack helicopters. In December 2014, minister for defence production Rana Tanvir Hussain said that Pakistan was also in discussions with Russia for the possible sale of an unspecified number of Mi-28NE 'Havoc' attack helicopters.

The Pakistani official who spoke to IHS Jane's on 8 April said discussions with Russia for the purchase of Mi-35 and Mi-28 helicopters "are now on hold but not cancelled" without elaborating further.