Overview
- Boeing announced Thursday that the Air Force has awarded the company the first full-rate production contract for four MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, a step the company says validates the program’s readiness.
- The award raises the total number of Grey Wolves under contract to 42 while Boeing reports 27 aircraft have been delivered and the four-aircraft lot was reported to be worth roughly $85 million with delivery expected in 2028 or 2029.
- Air Force Global Strike Command declared the MH-139A initially operational on Aug. 10, a status announced publicly on Aug. 31 that permits crews and airframes to undertake real-world ICBM security missions.
- The MH-139A is a militarized AW139 that Global Strike Command says is about 50% faster than the UH-1N Huey, carries roughly twice the troop load and adds upgraded defensive and command systems for long-range missile-field escort and response.
- The program reached this point after years of testing, FAA certification and integration delays, a 2024 buy reduction that triggered a Nunn-McCurdy review, and a Pentagon action to raise the planned buy to restore unit-cost targets; continued congressional funding choices will shape the pace of further deliveries and sustainment.