US Air Force Expands MH-139A Grey Wolf Fleet With New Boeing Contract

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing a contract worth over $173 million to produce eight more MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters. The aircraft will be used to support the monitoring of intercontinental ballistic missiles. This new order increases the total number of Grey Wolf helicopters under contract to 34 units.

According to Boeing, the first batch of helicopters under the expanded contract will be deployed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. The company has already delivered 18 MH-139A helicopters, including 12 from the initial low-rate production batch. Deliveries to the first operational unit at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana were completed earlier this year.

“The MH-139A Grey Wolf represents the best of partnership and proven capability,” said Robert Beyer, MH-139 senior program manager at Leonardo Helicopters.

By building on the trusted AW139 platform, we’ve been able to deliver a versatile aircraft to the warfighter that is already demonstrating its value to the U.S. Air Force. With each new lot, we are proud to continue strengthening national security missions while supporting American manufacturing and jobs.”

The MH-139A Grey Wolf program is progressing towards Initial Operational Capability following recent successful testing. Based on Leonardo Helicopters’ AW139 platform, the Grey Wolf integrates specialized military equipment fitted by Boeing to meet US Air Force requirements. The helicopters will play a critical role in providing security for strategic missile sites.

Boeing delivered the first full-rate production MH-139A Grey Wolf to the Air Force in August 2024. The current order follows a 2023 contract for 12 helicopters under low-rate initial production, reflecting the Air Force’s ongoing commitment to modernizing its helicopter fleet for missile field support and security.

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Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

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