Awarded $44.2 Million Contract To Arm 17 Aircraft

MD Helicopters has been awarded a firm fixed price contract valued at $44.2 million for the procurement, installation, integration and testing of Mission Equipment Package (MEP) weapon systems onto seventeen (17) MD 530F helicopters. All testing and modification of the seventeen aircraft fleet will occur at MD Helicopters’ Mesa, Arizona facility. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal will manage the contract on behalf of the Afghan Air Force.

An evolution of the fabled OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F is world renowned as a fast, reliable high-altitude, hot-day performer. The Afghan Air Force (AAF) has operated five MD 530F helicopters in the performance of initial entry rotary wing training since 2011. An Option Award on 19 September 2014 expanded the AAF fleet to seventeen MD 530Fs.

With this contract to integrate Mission Equipment Packages on the full complement of MD 530Fs, the U.S. Army and the Afghan Air Force, in response to the drawdown of coalition forces in the region, have taken the next step in developing a formidable close attack capability to support the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF); thereby delivering a critical operational capability requirement identified by the International Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan (ISAF-A).

The armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior will feature performance enhancements and a custom mission equipment package that includes:

• FAA-certified high-capacity landing gear that allows take-off and landing with a maximum weight of 3,750lbs through the incorporation of jettisonable external stores
• FN HMP400 LCC (Links & Case Collector) and machine gun pod featuring FN M3P .50 Cal Machine guns from FN Herstal, S.A.
• Mace Aviation Extended Rage Weapons Wing (ER2W)
• Rhode & Schwarz M3AR tactical radio communications solution
• Robertson Fuel System
• Kinetic Defense ballistic armor panels

In anticipation of this effort, MDHI has already engaged strategic suppliers to procure all required mission equipment.

MDHI anticipates weapons systems integration and testing to begin as early as November 2014. All aircraft will be complete and delivered by September 2015.

(Image provided by MD Helicopters)

FMI: www.mdhelicopters.com