U.S. State Department approves possible attack helicopter sale to Philippines

By Mike Stone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale to the Philippines of one of two attack helicopter variants, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Thursday in an official notification to the U.S. Congress.

The potential deal for either six AH-1Z attack helicopters made by Textron’s Bell Helicopter unit for an estimated cost of $450 million, or AH-64E Apache attack helicopters made by Boeing and Lockheed Martin for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.

Both sales include spares packages, related equipment and munitions such as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

The State Department said that the Philippines is considering either the AH-1Z or the AH-64E to modernize its attack helicopter capabilities.

(Reporting by Mike Stone; editing by Jonathan Oatis)