Jane Edwards
Boeing and Lockheed Martin have submitted bids to the U.S. Air Force for a program to replace the service branch“™s fleet of UH-1N Huey helicopters, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.
The Boeing-Leonardo team offered the MH-139 helicopter as its entry for the UH-1N replacement competition as the military branch looks to procure 84 aircraft through the program.
MH-139 is based on the Leonardo-built AW139 helicopter that currently serves at least 250 government, commercial and military clients worldwide and is designed to perform military transport missions and protect the country“™s intercontinental ballistic missiles, Boeing said Wednesday.
Lockheed proposed the HH-60U helicopter designed to transport nine security forces personnel, two special mission pilots and equipment needed to carry out continuity of operations missions.
Melissa Chadwick, a spokeswoman for Lockheed, said the company believes its offering would help the Air Force protect its critical missile sites and perform utility support missions.
A three-month continuing resolution for fiscal 2018 would not affect the helicopter replacement program since the initiative has already been funded, the report added.
