United States In May 2005, the AH-1Z completed its first round of sea-based flight trials. In October 2005, the USMC, through the Naval Air Systems Command, accepted delivery of the first AH-1Z production standard helicopter. In early 2006, the AH-1Z and UH-1Y completed their developmental testing. In early 2006, initial examples of the type were transferred to the Operational Test Unit at the NAS Patuxent River to undergo operational evaluation (OPEVAL) testing. In February 2008, both the AH-1Z and UH-1Y began the second and final portion of OPEVAL testing. In September 2010, the USMC declared that the AH-1Z had attained combat readiness. Since the type's introduction, numerous upgrades have been investigated and integrated. In March 2022, the
AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) achieved
initial operational capability upon the AH-1Z. This munition will replace the Hellfire and Maverick missiles. As of early 2022, work to install kits to facilitate a
Link 16 datalink upon both the AH-1Z and UH-1Y was underway. In October 2020, the USMC withdrew of the last of its AH-1W Super Cobras. It has been entirely replaced by AH-1Z Vipers. In USMC service, the AH-1Z forms a key element of the
Aviation Combat Element (ACE), a task-orientated force of supporting the USMC throughout all phases of its expeditionary operations. Key tasks in this capacity include offensive air support, anti-air warfare, assault support, and aerial reconnaissance. In the early 2020s, there were debates over cutting as much as one-third of the USMC's attack helicopter fleet in order to reallocate budget to other capabilities. In May 2021, even as deliveries continued, several USMC AH-1Zs went into long-term storage at the
309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in
Arizona as part of a wider restructuring effort.
Bahrain In April 2018, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency received U.S. State Department approval and notified Congress of a possible sale to
Bahrain of 12 AH-1Zs, 26 T-700 GE 401C engines, and armaments for an estimated cost of US$911.4 million (~$ in ). In November 2018, Bahrain confirmed the order for 12 AH-1Zs. The first six were delivered in mid-2022. In December 2022, production of AH-1Zs for Bahrain was completed. Final deliveries will be made in 2023.
Czech Republic 2023 In 2016, Bell was interested in selling the AH-1Z to the Czech Republic, which sought to retire its Soviet-era
Mil Mi-24 gunships. In December 2019, the Czech Republic bought four AH-1Zs for the
Czech Air Force. In March 2022, Czech Defense Minister
Jana Černochová announced plans to buy further helicopters, attributing this decision to the recent
Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Other foreign interest In the early 2010s, the AH-1Z was being offered to South Korea, competing against the AH-64 Apache and the
TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK attack helicopters. In April 2013, South Korea announced the selection of the rival AH-64E bid. In April 2015, the U.S. State Department approved a possible
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Pakistan for 15 AH-1Z Vipers with Hellfire missiles, associated equipment and support worth up to $952 million (~$ in ). In early 2016, Pakistan was set to receive nine AH-1Zs by September 2018. Pakistan's order was placed on hold on account of political tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan. The order for 12 aircraft has not been cancelled. By May 2019, nine were built, but are stored at the 309th AMARG base, awaiting a resolution to the friction between the two countries. In 2016, the Royal Moroccan Air Force was interested in procuring a number of AH-1Zs. In November 2016, Bell Helicopter signed a memorandum of understanding with Romanian airspace company IAR – Ghimbav Brasov Group for potential collaboration on the AH-1Z. In August 2017,
Romania signed a letter of intent with Bell Helicopter to establish a joint venture with Romanian state-owned
ROMARM for the potential procurement of a number of AH-1Zs. In 2017, Bell promoted the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y Venom to the
Australian Army as a potential replacement for their existing fleet of
Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters. In January 2021, the Australian Government purchased the AH-64E Apache to replace its Tigers. In July 2017, Bell Helicopter and
Polish Armaments Group signed a letter of intent planning on cooperating on the UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters, forming a potential bid for the Polish Kruk attack helicopter acquisition program, part of a wider modernization effort. In March 2022, in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland delayed a decision on new attack helicopters until after the completion of a sweeping security review. In October 2017, Thailand's minister of Defence
Prawit Wongsuwan stated that Thailand is looking into replacing its fleet of aging AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters and will launch a procurement committee to look into the matter.
Royal Thai Army officials have said that they are interested in the AH-1Z, as well as the
Agusta A129 Mangusta,
Mil Mi-28,
CAIC Z-10, Bell AH-1 SuperCobra and Boeing AH-64 Apache. In April 2020, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency received U.S. State Department approval and notified Congress of a possible sale to the Philippines, of either six AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $450 million, or six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. Nigeria has sought to procure AH-1Zs for some time. Sales were initially blocked by Congress over
human rights concerns. In April 2022, the U.S. State Department gave its approval for the sale of the type along with support apparatus via a nearly $1 billion contract. In March 2023, it was announced that Slovakia will receive twelve AH-1Zs at a discount, after Slovakia sent its retired
MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. In December 2024, Slovakia decided to procure 12 UH-60 Black hawks instead of AH-1Zs. ==Operators==