Nearly Half Of The Hours Have Been Flown In Combat
The U.S. Army’s OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter fleet have
accumulated 2 million flight hours ... with over 750,000 of these
flight hours have been flown in combat, Bell Helicopter said
Tuesday. “The Kiowa Warrior continues to be the workhorse of
Army aviation and this recent milestone is another example of the
important role this helicopter fulfills in the Army’s armed
reconnaissance mission,” said Mike Miller, director of Army
Business Development, Bell Helicopter.
With a Mission Capable rate of over 85%, the highest in the
Army’s deployed fleet, OH-58D lives up to its well-earned
reputation as the “go to” helicopter for Army
operations. The mission capable rate is a critical component of a
scout helicopter’s role in supporting ground troops and
performing its armed reconnaissance, command and control, targeting
and defensive combat missions. Further setting the standard of Army
aviation, since 2003 each Kiowa Warrior is averaging more than 76
flight hours a month, achieving another distinction of having the
highest operational tempo (OPTEMPO) in Army Aviation’s combat
rotary wing fleet.
Due to the Kiowa Warrior’s heavy workload and combat
attrition the number of aircraft available has decreased. To
address this need and recognizing the critical role the helicopter
plays, the Army implemented a Wartime Replacement Aircraft Program
to bring the OH-58D fleet back to full strength. In this program
Bell Helicopter is building new cabins, complete with new wiring
harnesses. These new cabins have been delivered in record time to
the Corpus Christi Army Depot for assembly completion with engines
and drive train and integration back into the Army’s Kiowa
Warrior fleet.
“The Wartime Replacement program has been a tremendous
success in getting the Kiowa Warrior back into production and
giving our Army the critical resources they need to replace
attrited aircraft. As the OPTEMPO and Mission Capable rates show, I
can’t overstate the role Kiowa Warrior plays in supporting
our troops on the ground,” said Jim Schultz OH-58 program
director, Bell Helicopter.
Future Army plans for the OH-58 include a new F model. This
model will infuse technology into the Kiowa Warrior. The sensor
moves from a mast mounting to the nose, the cabin receives new
processors, avionics and new color displays update the control
panel.
Bell Helicopter is also funding a Block II initiative focused on
performance enhancements. These include a new engine, new
transmission, new rotor and tailrotor. These upgrades will enable
the OH-58 to meet the 6K/95F operational requirement laid out by
the Army.