Boeing has commenced low-rate initial production of the MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter, marking a significant milestone after successfully concluding the program’s Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) phase. The completion of this phase included the delivery of the sixth and final test aircraft to the U.S. Air Force last month.
U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.
Azeem Khan, the MH-139 program director at Boeing, stated, “Delivering all of the RDT&E aircraft to the Air Force enables them to continue critical operational testing and allows Boeing to focus on building the first production aircraft. The Grey Wolf will provide crucial national security capability improvements to the Air Force. This is an important step in getting the aircraft into service.”
The MH-139A, designed to replace the UH-1N Huey, will play a vital role in safeguarding intercontinental ballistic missiles throughout the United States, in addition to transporting VIPs and security personnel. The shift to low-rate initial production underscores Boeing’s commitment to advancing the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force, bringing the MH-139A closer to active service.
Robert Beyer, MH-139 Senior Program Manager at Leonardo Helicopters US, expressed enthusiasm about entering the production phase, emphasizing the MH-139’s role in ushering the Air Force into a new era of service for its critical missions.
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