According to Boeing’s announcement on April 29, the United States Air Force (USAF) has ordered the purchase of an additional 7 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, with the announcement coming after the decision in March to cut the originally requested quantity in half. With this latest contract awarded for $178 million, the total number of Grey Wolf helicopters ordered by the USAF reaches 26 units in total.
Regarding this, Azeem Khan, the director of the MH-139 program, made the following statements: “Building the Grey Wolf fleet and paving the way for full production is a critical step in supporting the Air Force’s modernization priorities (…) Fulfilling these commitments and putting more capability in the hands of our customers is important to their mission of protecting vital national assets.”
As for the MH-139A Grey Wolf, it is a helicopter that is based on the design lineage of the AW139 designed by the Italian company Leonardo, which is characterized by expanding its speed and range by 50% according to the manufacturer. It is also capable of carrying 5 tons more than its predecessor and integrates more advanced autopilot systems to facilitate the pilots’ work. The cabin has also undergone modifications, with the most important aspect being an enlargement of its size by 30% compared to the base helicopter.
It is worth remembering that the acquisition of the helicopters in question was intended to replace the UH-1N Huey helicopter fleet, which entered service in the USAF over half a century ago. Currently, these aging aircraft are used by the US Air Force for surveillance at intercontinental ballistic missile facilities, and their good maintenance has sustained them to a degree that raised doubts within the force about the costs associated with their replacement.
The original MH-139 program envisaged the purchase of a total of 80 units, which would be manufactured at Leonardo’s facilities in Philadelphia and subsequently equipped with customized weaponry designed by Boeing. The budget estimated for that original phase was $2.55 billion, reduced to $1.42 billion when the decision to cut the number of ordered helicopters was made. As for the delivery dates, it is still estimated that the MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters will be delivered over the coming months.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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