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
-
![Lockheed plans further solid rocket motor investment in Europe and Middle East]()
Lockheed plans further solid rocket motor investment in Europe and Middle East
The company has worked to heavily invest in its solid rocket motor production capabilities, both in the US and internationally, to build a strong supply chain to meet growing demand.
-
![GKN Aerospace to fly new UAV demonstrator by 2027]()
GKN Aerospace to fly new UAV demonstrator by 2027
The company plans to develop a cost-effective jet-engine drone, going from concept to a flight-tested demonstrator in 18 months.
-
![F-35B delivery date slips to 2026, UK MoD confirms]()
F-35B delivery date slips to 2026, UK MoD confirms
The UK was originally set to receive all remaining aircraft by the end of 2025, although the MoD had previously forecast that deliveries could be delayed until April 2026.
-
![Sikorsky emphasises localised Black Hawk conversion for uncrewed U-Hawk]()
Sikorsky emphasises localised Black Hawk conversion for uncrewed U-Hawk
The platform was first unveiled in September 2025, with efforts now focusing on flight tests in the next year.
