The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $173-million contract to supply eight additional MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, along with associated training and maintenance packages. This contract brings the total number of Grey Wolves under agreement to 34, with 18 aircraft previously delivered. The upcoming batch will be assigned to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. The MH-139A, a military adaptation of the Leonardo AW139 twin-engine platform, supports a range of missions, including search and rescue, personnel and cargo transport, patrol, and security of missile fields. Final assembly is conducted by Boeing in Philadelphia, while Leonardo supplies the airframes from its facility in Italy. The program enables Boeing to integrate specialized military systems such as advanced avionics, secure communications, and defensive equipment. The Grey Wolf fleet replaces the UH-1N Huey helicopters, which have been in service since the 1970s. Recent exercises have validated the MH-139A’s performance in convoy escort, nuclear security, and base protection operations.
