The Ukrainian AH-1Z Viper helicopter is equipped with Red Wolf missiles with a range of 370km.
Bell Textron is preparing to supply Ukraine with AH-1Z Viper helicopters equipped with Red Wolf guided missiles, providing precision strike capabilities at a range of over 370km.
In an effort to enhance air combat capabilities, the U.S. Marine Corps and Bell Textron plan to equip Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters in Ukraine with Red Wolf precision-guided missiles. This move aims to provide a superior long-range strike solution, enabling the helicopters to engage targets without entering the detection range of enemy air defense systems.
The power of the Red Wolf guided missile
The Red Wolf missile is a collaborative product of Bell Textron and L3Harris. Field tests have confirmed the successful deployment of this weapon on rotary-wing aircraft platforms. The most notable feature of the Red Wolf is its range of over 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 km), an unprecedented figure for missiles currently equipped on attack helicopters.
The system is designed to operate beyond the pilot's visual range (NLOS). After launch, the missile is capable of autonomous navigation and continues to move precisely toward its intended target. Red Wolf is actually part of the larger Wolf Pack missile ecosystem, which can be deployed flexibly from air, land, and sea platforms.
Technical cooperation and equipment plans for Ukraine
Currently, Bell Textron is working closely with the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy and the Ukrainian Investment Agency-Invest to study the possibility of purchasing UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters. The core requirement from Ukraine is that these aircraft must be equipped with advanced missile systems such as Red Wolf to create overwhelming air superiority.
A representative from Bell Textron emphasized that combining the AH-1Z helicopter with the Red Wolf missile would give Ukraine unprecedented range, allowing for strategic strikes from a safe distance. This is part of a memorandum of understanding on military-industrial cooperation signed between the Ukrainian government and the American corporation last year.
Technical specifications of the AH-1Z Viper
The AH-1Z Viper is a significantly upgraded version of the AH-1W SuperCobra. It is a twin-engine attack helicopter designed to withstand the harshest combat conditions. In terms of firepower, the aircraft is equipped with a 20mm automatic cannon mounted in the nose and underwing hardpoints allowing it to carry a variety of guided missiles, bombs, and rockets.
With the addition of Red Wolf missiles, the AH-1Z helicopter can not only perform traditional close air support missions but also assume long-range attack roles, equivalent to short-range tactical ballistic missile systems.
