M1 Team Secures $10B Deal for US Army Flight TrainingM1 Support Services has been selected to oversee the US Army’s Flight School Next program under a potential $10 billion, 26-year contract. The agreement introduces a contractor-owned and contractor-operated model for initial rotary-wing pilot preparation, replacing the existing approach based on the UH-72 Lakota.The Texas-based company won the competition against multiple industry teams, including Bell Textron, MD Helicopters, Boeing, Leonardo and Enstrom Helicopter. M1 will work with Robinson Helicopter Company, Quantum Helicopters, General Dynamics Information Technology and the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation to deliver the training program.The Army expects the new system to support approximately 800 to 1,500 aviation crews annually at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The contractor-operated model is intended to provide a modern fleet while improving training efficiency and controlling long-term costs.The M1 team has selected Robinson Helicopter Company’s R66 as the primary aircraft for the program. The lightweight turbine helicopter is already used in military and civilian pilot training environments and has more than 1,900 aircraft operating in various flight programs.The R66 is powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 engine generating approximately 270 horsepower. It can reach a maximum speed of about 140 knots, has a range of approximately 350 nautical miles and can carry up to 1,200 pounds of external cargo.The training configuration will include Garmin G500H TXi and GTN750 touchscreen displays, a high-resolution 4K video camera, impact-resistant windshields, crash-resistant fuel systems and a cockpit compatible with night-vision goggles.Flight School Next is expected to modernize the Army’s initial helicopter training pipeline while giving the service greater flexibility in managing aircraft availability, maintenance and instructional requirements over the life of the program.
