Boeing has announced its transition towards the low-rate initial production of the MH-139A Grey Wolf, following the completion of the program’s Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) phase.
The final RDT&E aircraft was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in October, marking a significant milestone for the project.
Azeem Khan, MH-139 program director at Boeing, commented, “Delivering all of the RDT&E aircraft to the Air Force enables them to continue critical operational testing and allows Boeing to focus on building the first production aircraft.” He further added, “The Grey Wolf will provide crucial national security capability improvements to the Air Force. This is an important step in getting the aircraft into service.”
Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first production aircraft in 2024. The Air Force has already awarded Boeing a contract for the first 13 aircraft, with the initial one currently in final assembly. The contract has the potential to expand up to 80 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters.
Robert Beyer, MH-139 Senior Program Manager at Leonardo Helicopters US, stated, “With the final test aircraft delivered, we’re headed into an exciting production phase. With the MH-139, the United States Air Force is getting a faster and more capable aircraft to bring them into a new era of service for this mission.”
The MH-139A is set to replace the UH-1N Huey. Its primary roles include protecting intercontinental ballistic missiles across the U.S. and transporting VIP and security personnel.
This will be a good improvement over the old Hueys. Those old birds have served their country well.
Wish the U.K. would hurry up and get a new medium helicopter.
Don’t think our government will make a decision till after the election .🤔
The NMH does project seem to have dropped down the priority list, also the expected buy is reportedly now just 35 helo’s, which would make the business case for establishing a UK assembly line very weak. Just buying a few dozen helo’s directly off existing Boeing or Sikorsky production lines would probably be the MODs preferred option, but politically unpopular. The government is indeed probably deferring a decision until after the next general election next year.
HMG do need a wake up call ⏰
Things will move when a Puma crashes by oldeness and hurt someone.
And then they will be pulled from service and the capability silently dropped. They need to be replaced before or there is a good chance it will happen.
When the Gov still owned HM Coastguards helicopters before being contracted out to Bristow, 10 AW189s were built at Yeovil. 35 is more than enough for a production line.
35 would be fine, the important thing is getting another production line for rotors in the UK and preserving the sovereign capability. The Leonardo site that is going to be the future of heavyweight autonomous rotor production in the Uk as well as tilt rotor…But that’s the future and the government need to keep investing in it now for it to have that future…without a workforce and viable heavy rotor manufacturing hub ( which is what you have in west Somerset) you loss that future….an off the self U.S. buy may seem sound for present need but is strategically no… Read more »
The helicopter plant does have a future. It must be doing some work since wildcat production finished. Lots of good ideas coming out with future helicopter craft.
The U.K. is going to need the medium helicopter and a replacement for merlin. Now perhaps that may be a newer updated version merlin teaming with drone aircraft.
Hi MS, has Wildcat production absolutely finished? I thought i read somewhere there building some for an unidentified customer? Phillipines might need a few more with there expanding fleet, maybe Thailand too. And Korea already has. Wonder if they’ll take more? Wonder if AW would look at “stretched Wildcat” to take on the Seahawk? NZ I think is also looking at new helos to replace it Seasprites. And what about Ukraine for opportunities?
Airbus’ CEO says the order could now be as few as 25 NMH’s based on the latest info they have received from the MOD. The recently announced purchase (13 Nov) by the MOD of 6 smaller and cheaper Airbus H145M’s has eaten in to the NMH programme numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole project was cancelled at this stage. Even if another dozen H145M’s were purchased to fill other gaps, over £1 billion would be freed up for other urgent defence projects.
Hi Richard, I’m not sure what other gaps the H145m could fill it’s a light civilian rotor ( 3000kg range). It’s only really good for short range SAR roles for Bruni and Cyprus, which is what it’s purchased for. To be honest I never understood why on earth they were going to use a medium lift military rotor for that job anyway, it was a bonkers waste of cash…remember the raf already have a fleet of 7 Jupiter HT1 which are actually H145 rotors so the raf has just extended the fleet effectively with the 6 SAR versions in a… Read more »
“expected buy is reportedly now just 35 helo’s”
I’d take that right now, considering the Brunei and Cyprus roles have been filled by a buy of 6 others helis, allowing those 35 to concentrate on their core roles.
Beyond that, by the 44 Blackhawks that are needed, OTS, right now.
It was alway a bit bonkers planning to use a full fat medium lift military rotor for a function that is actually best undertaken by a light weight civilian rotor…so agree it’s a good pragmatic buy..that will save a bit of cash in the long run ( why buy new medium lift for this function) as well as free up 6 medium lifts back to their proper job. As for the new medium lifts I think they are going to…hold out and keep Puma running into 2028… now you know I’m not in agreement around the black hawk ( I… Read more »
Evening J.
Yep, your reasoning makes sense. As always, politics over need.
Agree on Puma.
Public domain information on the programme has become very confusing, e.g. Airbus is suggesting that the order may now be for as few as 25 NHMs. The RAF has a large fleet of Chinooks (currently 52 in active service?), which don’t seem to be heavily utilised. Buying 25 new (Polish built) or refurbished Black Hawk’s to supplement these might just be sufficient to meet operational needs, whilst saving a pile of money. Poland will love the offset against its recent arms purchases from the UK, and it may enable more.
Yes I’m not sure what they will buy…I think to be honest a lot will depend on politics over anything else…but numbers wise I would say you are right 25-30..I would plump for 30 as the lower limit of the original procurement was 36 and they have now purchase the 6 H145s..so I agree it’s not going to be a big buy….and I would not in anyway be surprised if it went to 25…I honestly think they will buy something built in the the UK..politics and all that.
Ahh Daniele- 44 Blackhawks, finger crossed! I imagine though the preferred option will be the AW offering- local jobs etc. I believe the ACC Gazelles have now retired. Hopefully one will find a home with AAC museum.
Yep, when do they ever put military need, at an affordable price vs number acquired, ahead of local jobs and politics? You can bet your right arm on an AW product and too few ordered.
Yes, Gazelle has retired.
cheers Bud, agreed
Lynx was a great help but wildcat is a step up. Build more of these.
What’s in Russian service? The greywolf variant isn’t.
There was a joint venture to produce the AW139 in Russia under a company called helivert. Hard to see if anything actually happened. It was signed before Russia went full anti west/nut job next door.
Don’t think any variants are in service with the Russian military. Sanctions must be a real pain if these helicopters are operated.