Boeing has won a contract to provide its MH-139
helicopter and related support services to the U.S. Air Force so
that it can replace
the more than 40-year-old UH-1N “Huey” helicopters used to protect
America’s intercontinental ballistic missile bases.
The deal is valued at $2.4 billion for up to 84 helicopters,
training devices and associated support equipment.
“We’re
grateful for the Air Force’s confidence in our MH-139 team,” said
David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager, Boeing
Vertical Lift. “The MH-139 exceeds mission requirements, it’s also
ideal for VIP transport, and it offers the Air Force up to $1
billion in acquisition and lifecycle cost savings.”
The MH-139
derives from the Leonardo AW139, which is used by more than 270
governments, militaries and companies worldwide.
Leonardo will
assemble the helicopters at its northeast Philadelphia plant, with
Boeing integrating military-specific components at its facility
south of that city.
The contract also includes operations,
maintenance, training systems and support equipment for the MH-139
aircraft.
“We’re proud to provide the U.S. Air Force with
solutions across the entire services ecosystem,” said Ed Dolanski,
president of U.S. Government Services, Boeing Global Services.
“With the AW139 platform’s more than 2 million flight hours and
established supply chain, we look forward to applying our
expertise to drive cost savings while supporting mission
readiness.”
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