MDHI awarded $1.4 billion contract for armed scout attack helicopters

MD 530F Cayuse Warrior (MDHI)

Mesa, Arizona-based MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) has been awarded a 5-year, firm-fixed price contract to provide an estimated 150 armed MD 530 aircraft and the required production support services – including program management, delivery support, pilot training, and maintenance – to U.S. and partner nation army aviation forces in support of U.S. Army foreign military sales (FMS) opportunities.

The contract has an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022, and a potential value of nearly $1.4 billion. Aircraft deliveries on the initial contract delivery order will be complete by September 2019.

“This contract is recognition of our ability to rapidly respond to the needs of our military customers,” said Lynn Tilton, CEO for MDHI, “and a testament to the effective, efficient role the MD 530 Armed Scout Attack Helicopters play in the global fight against terror.”

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The first deliveries under the contract will be 30 new MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters for the Afghan Air Force. Valued at $176.6 million, these first aircraft will be configured with MDHI’s newly certified Block 1 glass cockpit, featuring the Howell Instruments engine instrumentation system, Garmin GDU 620 electronic flight instruments, Garmin GTN 650H communication/navigation/global positioning system (COM/NAV/GPS), and Northern Airborne Technology cabin audio system.

Mission equipment for these aircraft will include a ballistic crash-worthy fuel system, consisting of a main fuel tank and a 38-gallon auxiliary fuel tank, high capacity landing gear, FN Herstal weapons management system, DillonAero mission configurable armament system (MCAS) weapons plank and fixed-forward sighting system, Rohde & Schwarz M3AR tactical mission radio, and FN Herstal .50 caliber HMP 400 machine gun pods and M260 7-shot rocket pods.