DefenseBoeing has received a contract to produce four additional MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters for the US Air Force (USAF), increasing the total number of aircraft under contract to 38.
The award follows a previous contract signed in September for eight MH-139A helicopters. Combined, the two contracts are valued at more than $262 million. The latest agreement also includes related sustainment support.
According to Boeing, 21 MH-139A helicopters have been delivered to the US Air Force so far. That total includes 12 aircraft produced under a low-rate initial production contract awarded in 2023.
The MH-139A is intended to replace the UH-1N Huey in missions that include patrol of intercontinental ballistic missile fields, search and rescue, and transport of personnel and cargo. The aircraft will be used to patrol nuclear missile sites across the central United States.
The MH-139A is based on the Leonardo AW139 civil helicopter, with Boeing responsible for integrating military-specific systems and equipment. Boeing and Leonardo share production responsibilities for the program, which supports industrial activity in the Philadelphia area and at other US locations.
The program experienced significant delays in its early stages, largely related to the FAA certification process for the military variant of the helicopter. During initial testing, issues were identified with certain sensor installations, including fairings that affected airflow and led to inaccurate airspeed readings, contributing to the slower-than-planned introduction of the aircraft into service.
