USAF Chooses AW-139 To Replace UH-1H
 

Seems the Boeing folks teamed up with Agusta-Westland and won the contract for 84 aircraft to replace the USAF Contract to replace its current fleet of UH-1 Hueys.

I suppose there shall be some sort of challenge by one or both of the competitors that were offering UH-60 Blackhawks of various models.


https://www.defensenews.com/breaking...pter-contract/

What a boost for Leonardo. The 139 certainly is a lovely machine to fly.

I don't think they will challenge again (Sikorsky already did) as the AW139 (or MH-139 as Boeing called it) was substantially cheaper thank the UH-60s offered by Sikorsky (even with the commonality), and the refurbished machines offered by Sierra Nervada Corp.

The most interesting thing about this is that Bell and Airbus didn't bid.

Bell should have bid, they had the perfect machine for the job.https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b062969e53.jpg

EPI, that heavy underpowered beast? "It's not old, it's proven" is getting really old, really fast.

How effective is AW/Leonardo at controlling costs on such Contracts/Programs?

Did they not have problems with the Sikorsky S-70 effort they had where they were to build and sell Licensed Blackhawks?

I do not recall that being a stellar success.

Then there is the 101 program and its cost over time.

Did not the RAF and Canadians have to cough up shed loads of money as a result of the pricing and cost over-runs or am I misunderstanding what transpired?

They were unsuccessful in the US Presidential VIP Helicopter bid either.

The USAF sure doesn't have an admirable ability to deliver aircraft programs on time and within budget do they?

Does the 139 still have CG issues in certain configurations?

Will be interesting how the 139 will hold up on the mx and support side under the AF mission profiles. With the 139 Ch 4 requirements a little more complex/detailed than the N models, it could make for a bit of culture shock. I just hope the AF gets their own direct line to AW support/spares when the need arises.

SAS, you are making a mess of several different programs jumbled together.
1) Westland alone was involved in the S-70 program.
2) The Canadian Cormorant has been an expensive yet successful program
3) We all know why the costs escalated in the original VH-71 program, and it was not because of the manufacturer.
4) The 139 does not have CG issues more than any other helicopter in commercial service today.
5) Boeing is the prime contractor in the MH-139 program.

So Boeing and AW team up with the USAF and we can expect on budget and on time performance?

I am looking out the window for some flying pigs to present themselves.

Large Glasses of Wine at Lunch in the Company Mess at Gallarate over the news?

SAS, They should have gone for those good old "All American" aircraft, such as the SK-76 made in....China, or those with engines made in.... France, Canada etc. :E

The whole deal is done through Philly. Philly is the sub-contractor for Boeing. Philly is making all the aircraft. Philly had already reserved the slots on the production line well ahead of any decision so that they would be ready if they needed to be. And let's face it, it's not like O&G is taking up many slots on production lines these days. There is spare capacity.

I would imagine SK had done all the same things in case they won. Making sure there were production slots available so that aircraft were delivered on time and on budget.

No wine in the lunch room in Philly either!

Not Only Cost, Perhaps?
 

Lockheed stepped in the doodoo with their typical whining over contract terms. The only diff in this case is that they couldn't even wait until the RFP was done and awarded before whining:

Then, in February, Lockheed Martin filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office over a disagreement over technical data rights—a rare legal dispute filed before the service had decided on the winner. Lockheed argued that, in its solicitation, the Air Force used too broad a definition of “operations, maintenance, installation and training data,” which by statute is turned over to the government for its unlimited use.

Which anyone who knows Lockheed can decode as; "the customer ignored our pre-written RFQ we gave them that only Lockheed could source". Glad I don't work for them anymore, and congrats to the winning team. I hope it's a success. I've never flown the 139(way after my stick time) but have heard good things.

Lots of those flying around in helicopters every day of the week.