Boeing wins $2.4 billion contract to replace Air Force's aging iconic Huey choppers (abbr,)

CNBC ^ | Sept. 24, 2018 | Amanda Macias |

[going hot]

That would be the rich corinthian leather seats. Those things cost a fortune.

[Flag_This]

"I always rode behind left seat, feet on the skids"

Do you happen to know if the skid height changed from version to version, or maybe for intended use? I've seen countless photos and film clips of soldiers riding just as you describe, but on my one ride (mechanized infantry, so not many opportunities) in a UH-1, the skids seemed to me to be way to tall to ride like that. My trip was in the mid-80s, so I always wondered about the skid height.

[UNGN]

What foreign Country are they going to make them in?

not “assemble” but actually “make” them?

Our Military sure has bought a lot of foreign made helicopters lately.

[dsc]

“The long-awaited Pentagon contract is worth $2.4 billion for up to 84 aircraft. The service awarded Boeing approximately $375 million for the first four helicopters on Monday.”

Mr. President, can we get some forensic accountants over here, please?

[Gil4]

Does anyone else think that $375 million for 4 helicopters is just a tad expensive? $2.4 billion for 84 birds might be a touch over the top?

I was going to say I would set the over/under for the final cost of this $2.4B contract at about $15B.

[FreedomPoster]

I should look around to see if I still have the 45. I was a kid living in Columbus when that came out, then moved to Rucker shortly thereafter when dad returned from a Vietnam tour. Besides me playing it a zillion times on the Grundig, I remember it being constantly on the radio in those places.

[wastedyears]

The service awarded Boeing approximately $375 million for the first four helicopters on Monday.

Are you F'in kidding me?

[Paal Gulli]

"appearing worn or not, the Huey is an utterly reliable helicopter...."

I had a buddy who was the HQ Co. CO of old the 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion of the 101st Abn Div just as they were transitioning from Cobras and Hueys to Apaches and Blackhawks. He always said he preferred the Huey "because the ol' girl's got no tricks left in her."

Ironically, he was killed in a Blackhawk training accident. It wasn't the Blackhawk's fault, it a was a mid-air collision between two Blackhawks operating under night vision goggles. Ironic just the same.

The November model Huey was primarily created for the Navy. For reasons of over-water operations, they didn't/don't want an a/c that isn't multi-engine. That's why the Marine's AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter is twin-engine. Because they have to dance to the tune the Navy calls.

The Army is already replacing Hueys with Eurocopter EC145 (which is a descendant of the MBB BK117). They're calling them UK-72 Lakotas. And yes, they're built in America (by American Eurocopter). It will only haul half as many stretchers as a Huey will but the Army says they have very few medivac missions any more that require more than three stretchers.

The "M" in the initials MBB, BTW, is for "Messerschmitt."

Yes, the US Army is buying helicopters from the descendant of the company that built the Bf-109, Bf-110, ME-262, and ME-163 airplanes for the Nazis.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

That’s not the Huey I rode on in Vietnam. More like a newer cousin.

[Stingray51]

Marine Corps has the UH-1V still going strong. It looks very different, especially up top.

[Garvin]

UH-1Y’s are flown by the Marine Corps today. As a “Marine Skid Kid” in a previous life, I have many hours in the UH-1N. The UH-1N the Air Forces has is not the same as the Marines had. Worked on the AW/EH/US-101 Merlin from AugstaWestland for the president replacement program prior to its cancellation by Zero, it was an outstanding aircraft. The MH-139, a military derivative of the AgustaWestland AW139. Surprised they went foreign.

[NorthMountain]

I stand corrected ... that's actually the UH-1Y.

Looks longer as well as having a totally different powerplant.

[redcatcherb412]

Had no problem hitting the skids, but don't know if they changed the height any. Our brigade had it's own aviation group 'Fireball Aviation' flying out of our Bien Hoa brigade base. These guys were fanatics and would fly us anywhere, anytime wether transport, dustoff or supply. When your out of water, low on ammo, the sound of their bird coming in was music indeed.

[Windflier]

As an Army brat of the fifties and sixties, I grew up to the sight and sound of Hueys. Those machines made an indelible mark on my childhood.

Next to the Boeing B-17, they are my favorite aircraft.