MD Helicopters ramps up production as Nigerian order lands
The Cayuse Warrior Plus light scout reconnaissance and attack helicopter no longer bears the MD530F series designation. (Photo: MD Helicopters)
MD Helicopters is expanding its production line to fulfil a Nigerian Army order for 12 Cayuse Warrior Plus scout/attack helicopters.
US-based MD Helicopters (MDH) has announced it is scaling up production line capacity and increasing staffing as additional sales orders come in for the company.
These include 12 Cayuse Warrior Plus scout/attack helicopters ordered by the Nigerian Army ordered for use on domestic counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
The aircraft will be operated on area security, tactical reconnaissance, convoy escort and drug interdiction missions. The Nigerian contract includes a complete ILS package, spares, pilot and maintainer training and a flight training device.
Related Articles
More MD530F gunships headed to Afghanistan
Malaysian Army tests its MD 530G helicopters
Boeing joins Airbus team in bid for UK New Medium Helicopter
MDH said it has restructured its production facility and is planning to hire 120 more employees to support the production of the new aircraft.
This will allow the company to deal with additional, larger orders, as well as to engage with potential customers.
‘MD Helicopters has streamlined our production processes to directly address the current and planned increase of aircraft orders,’ MDH president and CEO Brad Pedersen noted in a statement.
The Cayuse Warrior Plus light scout reconnaissance and attack helicopter no longer bears an MD530F series designation.
The company takes the MD530 airframe at an early point on the production line and makes major changes.
These include strengthening of the airframe to cope with more taxing military operations, new bulkheads, a ballistically tolerant crashworthy fuel system, high-capacity landing gear and new fairings that allow the doors to be closed when weapons are carried.
The maximum weight of the MD530F is 1,700kg, it has a useful load of 980kg and a top speed of 135kts.
The MD530F model is currently in operation in Afghanistan, Chile, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Paraguayan Air Force receives four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft]()
Paraguayan Air Force receives four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft
Six Super Tucano aircraft were ordered in July 2024, with Paraguay the fifth South American country to add the aircraft to modernise its fleet.
-
![Baykar completes Piaggio Aerospace takeover with plans to boost drone production]()
Baykar completes Piaggio Aerospace takeover with plans to boost drone production
The takeover of the Italian firm by Baykar solidifies the company’s efforts to forge closer ties with Italian industry, bolsters its partnership with Leonardo to produce UAVs and secures its foothold in Europe.
-
![US budget boosts Boeing’s F-15EX with $3.1 billion investment to increase fleet to 129]()
US budget boosts Boeing’s F-15EX with $3.1 billion investment to increase fleet to 129
The F-15EX Eagle II had already been singled out for further funding in January 2025, when it was chosen to replace the A-10 aircraft for the US National Guard.
-
![Spain earmarks $1.6 billion for Hurjet trainer aircraft acquisition]()
Spain earmarks $1.6 billion for Hurjet trainer aircraft acquisition
Spain’s Defence Minister told the Senate Defense Commission on 27 June of the decision to acquire Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) trainers as the country seeks to replace its Northrop F-5M aircraft.
-
![US Navy’s FA-XX programme still an “option”, as FY2026 US defence budget outline proposed]()
US Navy’s FA-XX programme still an “option”, as FY2026 US defence budget outline proposed
The US Navy’s answer to a sixth-generation fighter has experienced a range of setbacks and delays to the programme, with only $47 million in this latest proposed budget set aside for completing the aircraft.
