Boeing and Leonardo have been selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) in a deal valued at $2.4 billion to provide up to 84 MH-139 helicopters, training devices, and support equipment to replace its aging fleet of Bell UH-1Ns. The Hueys are currently used to provide security at the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) bases and transport U.S. government and security forces. The MH-139s are scheduled to become operational beginning in 2021.
The MH-139 is based on the Leonardo AW-139. It will be assembled at Leonardo’s northeast Philadelphia plant, with additional components to be integrated into the aircraft at the Boeing Philadelphia facility in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. Boeing will be the prime contractor.
“The more than $125 million investment made by Leonardo in the Philadelphia facility demonstrates that we are fully prepared to execute in support of this contract. We look forward to working with Boeing on this program and we’re committed to deliver according to expectations of the prime contractor, the U.S. government, and taxpayers,” said William Hunt, CEO of Leonardo’s AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation.
More than 900 AW-139s are already in service and the fleet has logged more than 2 million flight hours. Of this number more than 260 were assembled in Philadelphia.