Boeing has been awarded a $173 million contract by the US Air Force to deliver eight additional MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, including training and sustainment support.
With this order, the total number of Grey Wolves under contract rises to 34, of which 18 aircraft have already been delivered — 12 from earlier low-rate production batches.
The new helicopters will be the first to be deployed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Derived from the Leonardo AW139 civilian model, the twin-engine MH-139A has been customized by Boeing for US military operations, supporting missions such as search and rescue, base patrol, personnel and cargo transport, and missile field security.
Production and assembly occur at Boeing’s Philadelphia facility, while Leonardo provides the airframes from its Italian plant in the northeast. This collaboration allows Boeing to integrate advanced avionics, defensive systems, and secure communication suites suited to Air Force needs.
Recent Updates in US Helicopter Operations
The Grey Wolf program is part of the Air Force’s initiative to replace the aging UH-1N Huey fleet, which has been active since the 1970s.
The MH-139A recently completed initial operational testing and evaluation, confirming its readiness for missions such as convoy escort, base defense, and nuclear security support.
It has also been integrated into joint training exercises. Earlier this year, the 908th Operations Support Squadron used the Grey Wolf in a readiness exercise at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, marking the aircraft’s first participation in a large-scale Air Force training event.
Additionally, the helicopter has taken part in field trials with the 582nd Helicopter Group, responsible for nuclear missile field security across several US states.
