The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a new contract for four additional MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, further expanding the service’s next-generation rotary-wing fleet.
The order follows a $173 million deal signed in September for eight MH-139As and builds on a previous low-rate production contract for 26 aircraft. The latest procurement increases total orders to 38 helicopters, with 21 units already delivered to the Air Force.
The Grey Wolf program is aimed at replacing the long-serving UH-1N Huey helicopters, which have been in operation since the 1970s. The MH-139A delivers roughly 50 percent improvements in both speed and range over the Huey, along with an added payload capacity of 5,000 pounds.
Derived from the Leonardo AW139 and adapted by Boeing for military use, the MH-139A is a multi-role helicopter capable of patrol, search and rescue, and personnel and cargo transport missions.
Operationally, the Grey Wolf will be employed for nuclear security support, emergency response, airlift, and convoy escort missions at home and abroad. Aircraft already delivered have been integrated into Air Force training exercises, including nuclear transport operations.
The MH-139A is 54.8 feet long, 16.4 feet high, and equipped with a 45.3-foot rotor system. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 15,432 pounds and can cruise at 146 knots, reach speeds of up to 167 knots, and operate out to a range of 410 nautical miles, with a service ceiling of 20,000 feet.
