Afghanistan and Lebanon gain extra MD 530 support

MD Helicopters on 14 October announced it has received two contracts from the US Army to support Afghan and Lebanese operators of the MD 530F/G Cayuse Warrior helicopter.

The deals from US Army Contracting Command are worth a combined $12.5 million.

MD Helicopters will retrofit 18 legacy MD 530F helicopters operated by the Afghanistan Air Force with ballistic-tolerant crashworthy fuel systems (CWFS), developed with Robertson Fuel Systems.

The 59-gallon (223-litre) CWFS will be installed in-country by MD Helicopters engineers.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, there are 60 MD 530Fs in the Afghan Air Force inventory.

The other deal modifies a 2018 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity production contract for MD Helicopters to provide six MD 530Gs to the Lebanese Air Force.

Beginning in October 2020, the company is conducting instructor pilot flight training, maintenance and armament training in the US for 12 Lebanese pilots and 16 maintenance technicians.

Training is scheduled to finish in April 2021.

As part of the contract modification, MD Helicopters is also providing increased logistics and spare parts support for the six Lebanese Air Force helicopters.

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