Wed, Apr 17, 2013
Aircraft Has Flown More Than 820,000 Combat Hours
In a program update presented last week at the 2013 Army Aviation Association of America’s (AAAA) Annual Professional Forum and Exposition, Bell Helicopter officials noted several key accomplishments in the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior program. “The men and women of Bell Helicopter are proud to say we build the rugged and durable OH-58 Kiowa Warrior Scout helicopter as it continues its remarkable combat service in support of our Warfighters,” said Mike Miller, director of Military Business Development at Bell Helicopter.
![](/images/content/military/2012/AEROTV-Airborne-Kiowa-120712.jpg)
“With over 820,000 combat hours and counting, the OH-58 is pressed into combat duty every day and it continues to respond to this extraordinary service with the reliability the Army has come to expect from a Bell Helicopter product,” said Jim Schultz, OH-58 Program Director at Bell Helicopter.
In addition to the accumulation of these combat hours, all OH-58 units are reporting that they continue to achieve over 90% mission capable rates. This means that when a unit tasking comes down, over 90% of the helicopters are able to fly the mission. “The Kiowa Warrior’s mission capable rate, coupled with the numbers of combat hours flown, is a truly remarkable achievement and represents the highest readiness rate and Operational Tempo (OPTEMPO) in the U.S. Army,” said MIller.
With a focus on the future, the next generation Kiowa Warrior, the OH-58F, is designed specifically for the Army’s next generation Scout mission. Under the Army’s Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade program (CASUP), OH-58F aircraft offer several upgrades, including enhanced sensors, new cockpit control hardware and software, and three color multi-function displays. Other near-term improvements include increased engine power, weight reduction initiatives and the latest condition-based maintenance technologies. These enhancements will provide greater capability, better performance, increased safety and even more operational readiness.
Bell Helicopter officials said the company also has a continuous improvement program providing a roadmap for future growth to increase performance, reliability and safety.
(Kiowa Warrior image from file)
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