Bell Helicopter to modify final 30 aircraft in OH-58D safety enhancement programme
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the US Army to modify the final 30 OH-58D aircraft under the Kiowa Warrior Safety Enhancement Programme (SEP).
These 30 aircraft will form Lot 13 of the Kiowa Warrior SEP programme. Work on the aircraft will begin in March 2010. Completed aircraft are scheduled to be delivered back to the Army at a rate of two per month beginning in July 2010.
Bell is currently modifying aircraft in Lot 12, and is on track to complete all work on that lot of 27 aircraft in May 2010. "We've been able to deliver every aircraft in Lot 12 on or ahead of the contract schedule," said Amy Tedford, Director of Military Fielded Systems at Bell Helicopter. "Every Bell employee on the SEP line understands the great value that the OH-58D provides to America's warfighters, and we all take great pride in supporting the Kiowa Warrior and its critical role in protecting our troops in the combat zone."
The Kiowa Warriors are being upgraded with an improved engine, improved computer control system and related new wiring harnesses. These improvements are part of a series of safety and performance modifications the Army implemented to keep the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter safe and mission effective throughout its lifespan. Once the aircraft in Lot 13 have been modified, the OH-58D Safety Enhancement Programme will be complete and a total of 371 Kiowa Warriors will have been upgraded under the programme.
Work on Lot 13 aircraft will be accomplished at Bell Helicopter's Plant 1 facility in Fort Worth, Texas, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
The US Army fleet of Kiowa helicopters has accumulated more than 550,000 combat flight hours and nearly 2 million total flight hours. Despite such high usage rates, daily combat missions and a harsh operating environment, the OH-58D continues to maintain the highest OPTEMPO and highest readiness rates of any Army aircraft in theater.
Source: Bell Helicopter
More from Defence Helicopter
-
![Germany to send WS-61 Westland Sea King helicopters to Ukraine]()
Germany to send WS-61 Westland Sea King helicopters to Ukraine
Germany has committed to sending Ukraine six of its 21 retiring WS-61 Westland Sea King multirole, amphibious helicopters.
-
![Boeing secures $271 million to advance modernisation of US Special Operations' MH-47G Chinook]()
Boeing secures $271 million to advance modernisation of US Special Operations' MH-47G Chinook
Boeing has clinched a major contract modification to further its backing of the US Special Operations Command’s MH-47G Chinook aircraft modernisation effort.
-
![Dubai Airshow 2023: South Korean homegrown helicopters make international debut]()
Dubai Airshow 2023: South Korean homegrown helicopters make international debut
Two KAI helicopters, the KUH-1E utility helicopter and the Light Attack Helicopter (LAH), have taken centre stage at the Dubai Airshow 2023.
-
![Italian Navy receives final NH90 helicopter]()
Italian Navy receives final NH90 helicopter
The Italian Navy now boasts a fleet of 56 NH90 helicopters comprising 46 SH-90As and 10 MH-90As.
-
![Argentina seeks AW109 and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters]()
Argentina seeks AW109 and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
The Argentinian Air Force (FAA) and the Argentinian Naval Aviation Command (COAN) are looking for options to upgrade their helicopter fleets.
-
![DSEI 2023: Lockheed to produce about 40% of Black Hawks on UK soil if it wins NMH contest]()
DSEI 2023: Lockheed to produce about 40% of Black Hawks on UK soil if it wins NMH contest
Lockheed Martin promises a boost to the British job market and export opportunities, while strengthening ties with Poland and positioning the UK for a future in rotorcraft technology in the event of a New Medium Helicopter competition triumph.
