Air Force Begins Testing ‘Huey’ Replacement Helicopter

The MH-139A Grey Wolf will replace the iconic UH-1N ‘Huey’ for nuclear security missions.

Thursday, August 25, 2022 at 04:08 PM ET

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Boeing's MH-139A is set to replace the UH-1N Iroquois – nicknamed the “Huey”-- that’s been in service for the past half century. [Courtesy: Boeing]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has advanced plans for its MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter, accepting four units from Boeing for military capability testing.
The Grey Wolf is set to replace the half-century-old UH-1N Iroquois ("Huey") for nuclear security missions, including emergency airlift and nuclear weapons convoy surveillance.
Based on the commercial Leonardo AW139, the MH-139A offers significant upgrades in speed, range, endurance, payload, and survivability.
This development follows recent FAA certification and military flight release for the aircraft, with the Air Force planning to acquire 80 helicopters in total.

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The U.S Air Force’s plans to update its aging fleet of nuclear security helicopters with Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) MH-139A Grey Wolf are once again in motion and have advanced to military capability testing, the service announced.

The MH-139A is set to replace the UH-1N Iroquois—nicknamed the “Huey”—that’s been in service for the past half century, primarily for airlift of emergency security forces and surveillance of off-base nuclear weapons convoys.