Air Force Sees Up to Four Competitors for New Helicopter Program

As many as four companies may compete to build a new U.S. Air Force helicopter that would protect missiles and evacuate government officials in an attack, the service’s top uniformed weapons buyer said.

An acquisition strategy will be released soon for the 93-helicopter program, Lieutenant General Mark Shackleford told a House Armed Services Committee panel today in Washington, without giving a timetable. The new aircraft would replace Bell Helicopter Textron UH-1N Hueys, Shackleford said.