Leonardo announced its intention to participate in the tender to replace the US Air Force's fleet of UH-1N 'Huey' helicopters through a partnership with Boeing. Leonardo will supply the helicopters to Boeing who will be prime contractor offering the variant called MH-139, presented today in Orlando during the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium.
Based on Leonardo's AW139 best seller already produced in the United States in Philadelphia, the MH-139 is a modern, versatile, proven, mature, and high-performance solution, ideal for satisfying the requirement of 84 machines aimed at replacing obsolete ' Huey 'of the US Air Force, dedicated to critical missions for safety and transportation. Compared to competing models, the MH-139 ensures savings of over one billion dollars in terms of acquisition and operating costs distributed over a life cycle exceeding 30 years.
The Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Leonardo, Mauro Moretti, said “The undisputed technological superiority and unprecedented operational capabilities of our products, such as the AW139, allow us once again to face the important challenges of the market, such as those of the competitions aimed at the modernization of the Armed Forces in the USA, a country in which we can boast a long and consolidated commercial, industrial, assistance and collaboration presence in various fields. The MH-139 presents all the ideal features to be able to meet the strict expectations of the US Air Force and the American tax payer ".
