Manufacturer catalog

Bell

Bell is a United States aerospace and defense manufacturer focused on vertical-lift aircraft, including military helicopters, tiltrotors, commercial helicopters, training, parts, and sustainment. The Textron-owned company traces its aviation lineage to 1935 and remains especially relevant to the catalog through Marine Corps attack-helicopter production in the AH-1 Cobra, Super Cobra, and AH-1Z Viper line.

3 weapons

Bell is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, where the company says its global headquarters houses executive leadership, engineering groups for commercial and military programs, technical publications, test labs, logistics support, parts development, and quality groups. Textron describes Bell as a wholly owned subsidiary and a leading supplier of military and commercial helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft, and related spare parts and services.

Bell's defense-manufacturing role is concentrated in rotorcraft and tiltrotor programs rather than missiles or ground systems. For this catalog, the strongest Bell links are the AH-1W Super Cobra and AH-1Z Viper attack-helicopter records: NAVAIR identifies Bell as the contractor for both AH-1W and AH-1Z program pages, while Bell's own H-1 materials present the AH-1Z and UH-1Y as a common family sharing more than 85 percent of parts, support systems, and training.

military helicoptersattack helicoptersutility helicopterstiltrotor aircraftcommercial helicoptersrotorcraft sustainment and training

Notable Systems

AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter, Marine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs

AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter

Marine attack helicopter

NAVAIR identifies the AH-1W as a Marine Corps attack helicopter flown since 1986, lists Bell Helicopter Textron as contractor, and describes its replacement by the AH-1Z beginning in 2006.

Sources: AH-1W Super Cobra | NAVAIR
AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter, Attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs

AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter

Attack helicopter

NAVAIR identifies Bell Helicopter Company as AH-1Z contractor, describes the AH-1Z as the AH-1W replacement, and lists a four-bladed rotor, digital cockpit, six wing stores stations, and 189-aircraft inventory.

Sources: AH-1Z Viper | NAVAIR, Bell AH-1Z Viper

Manufacturer History

  1. Bell aviation lineage begins

    Bell states that it has pushed the boundaries of vertical flight since 1935, giving the current Bell Textron manufacturer identity a 90-year aviation lineage.

    Sources: About Bell

  2. Marine AH-1W service begins

    NAVAIR says Marines had been flying the AH-1W Super Cobra since 1986 and identifies Bell Helicopter Textron as the AH-1W contractor.

    Sources: AH-1W Super Cobra | NAVAIR

  3. AH-1Z replacement program begins

    NAVAIR states that AH-1W replacement by the AH-1Z began in 2006 as part of a remanufacture program, continuing Bell's Cobra-family attack-helicopter line.

    Sources: AH-1W Super Cobra | NAVAIR, AH-1Z Viper | NAVAIR

  4. FLRAA manufacturing facility announced

    Bell announced a new 447,000-square-foot Fort Worth-area factory for U.S. Army Future Long Range Assault Aircraft component manufacturing, with facility readiness planned for low-rate initial production by 2028.

    Sources: Bell FLRAA factory announcement

Predecessors
Bell Aircraft Corporation
Website links
Official websiteAbout BellBell military aircraftBell H-1 aircraftTextron Bell business profile

Bell's current public identity is Bell Textron Inc.; older U.S. Navy AH-1 program pages may identify the contractor as Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. or Bell Helicopter Company.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Bell official websitePublisher: Bell | Note: Supports Bell's current official identity, vertical-lift focus, and 90-year aviation-history framing. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • About BellPublisher: Bell | Note: Supports Bell Textron, Inc. company overview, aerospace and defense manufacturing description, and the 1935 historical reference. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Bell Headquarters Visitor InformationPublisher: Bell | Note: Supports Bell's Fort Worth global headquarters address and the headquarters functions described in the profile. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Bell | TextronPublisher: Textron | Note: Supports Bell as a Textron-owned supplier of military and commercial helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft, spare parts, and services. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Bell H-1 AircraftPublisher: Bell | Note: Supports Bell's AH-1Z and UH-1Y H-1 family context, shared logistics and training, and stated commonality above 85 percent. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Bell AH-1Z ViperPublisher: Bell | Note: Supports AH-1Z product background, attack and reconnaissance roles, weapons-system features, commonality with UH-1Y, and performance context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • AH-1W Super Cobra | NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AH-1W Marine Corps role, 1986 service reference, Bell Helicopter Textron contractor listing, and AH-1Z replacement context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • AH-1Z Viper | NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AH-1Z mission, Bell Helicopter Company contractor listing, AH-1W replacement context, inventory, weapons-station count, commonality, and IOC/FOC dates. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Bell FLRAA factory announcementPublisher: Bell | Note: Supports Bell's 2024 Fort Worth-area FLRAA manufacturing facility announcement and planned low-rate-initial-production readiness by 2028. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Marine AH-1W Super Cobra imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the public-domain AH-1W image used for the manufacturer page media block. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

3/3
AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter, Attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs2014 War Against the Islamic StateAH-1Z Viper attack helicopterAttack helicopterBuilt in: United StatesThe Bell AH-1Z Viper is a two-seat U.S. Marine Corps attack helicopter developed from the AH-1W Super Cobra for the H-1 upgrade program. NAVAIR describes it as the AH-1W replacement, with a four-bladed composite rotor, integrated fire-control system, six wing stores stations, and 85 percent parts commonality with the UH-1Y; official Marine Corps and Navy sources place AH-1Z-equipped elements in the 2016 Operation Inherent Resolve deployment.
AH-1W Super Cobra, Marine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs1990 Gulf War, 2001 War in Afghanistan +2 moreAH-1W Super CobraMarine attack helicopterBuilt in: United StatesThe Bell AH-1W Super Cobra was the U.S. Marine Corps' twin-engine attack helicopter between the mid-1980s and 2020, bridging the AH-1T SeaCobra and the AH-1Z Viper. NAVAIR identifies Bell as contractor and describes the type as an HMLA aircraft with T700 engines, a night targeting system, and a 14,750 lb maximum gross weight, while official Marine and Navy sources document AH-1W combat use from Desert Storm and Iraq to Afghanistan and Operation Odyssey Lightning in Libya.
AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter, Marine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs1990 Gulf War, 2001 War in Afghanistan +2 moreAH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopterMarine attack helicopterBuilt in: United StatesThe Bell AH-1W Super Cobra was the U.S. Marine Corps' twin-engine attack helicopter between the mid-1980s and 2020, bridging the AH-1T SeaCobra and the AH-1Z Viper. NAVAIR lists Bell as contractor and describes the type as an HMLA aircraft with T700 engines, a night targeting system, and a 14,750 lb maximum gross weight, while official Marine and Navy sources document AH-1W combat use from Desert Storm and Iraq to Afghanistan and Operation Odyssey Lightning in Libya.