Boeing wins US$178 million US Air Force contract to deliver further MH-139A helicopters
The MH-139 is the military variant of Leonardo's AW139. (Photo: Boeing)
Boeing said it was on track to deliver the first Low-Rate Initial Production MH-139A helicopter to the US Air Force in mid-2024.
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing a US$178 million contract to produce seven more MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, bringing the total number of ordered aircraft to 26.
The award came on the back of the first production aircraft’s initial flight in December 2023. With the first production aircraft currently undergoing additional testing and other aircraft in various stages of production, Boeing said it was on track to deliver the first Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) aircraft to the USAF during the US summer.
The MH-139 is the military variant of Leonardo's AW139. It was selected for the USAF’s $2.4 billion UH-1N Huey replacement programme in September 2018. It has an increased carrying capacity over the AW139.
“Building the Grey Wolf fleet and paving the way towards full rate production is a critical step in supporting the USAF’s modernisation priorities,” said Azeem Khan, MH-139 programme director at Boeing. “Delivering on these commitments and getting more capability into the hands of our customers is important to their mission [of] protecting vital national assets.”
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Japan selects T-6 Texan II for pilot training]()
Japan selects T-6 Texan II for pilot training
The T-6 Texan II aircraft will replace the Fuji/Subaru T-7 aircraft in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
-
![Embraer “confident” as C-390 and A-29 production ramps up in 2025]()
Embraer “confident” as C-390 and A-29 production ramps up in 2025
Embraer chief commercial officer Frederico Lemos said that it was aiming to produce more than 10 of its C-390 multi-mission aircraft a year by 2030, with some A-29 aircraft already allocated and ready for delivery.
-
![Switzerland’s Hermes 900 procurement faces further delays and headwinds]()
Switzerland’s Hermes 900 procurement faces further delays and headwinds
The Swiss Federal Audit Office has said the drones won’t meet planned military requirements until 2029, after extensive delays pushed timeline back to the end of 2026.
