DONAUWORTH, Germany - Airbus Helicopters has signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence of Brunei for the acquisition of six H145M helicopters.

Replacing its old BO105 fleet, Brunei’s H145Ms will be used to enhance the air force’s operational capabilities for missions including close air support and aerial observation.

The H145M is a multi-role military helicopter that provides a broad range of mission capabilities. The global fleet of the H145 family has accumulated more than seven million flight hours to-date. Brunei is the latest nation to order the H145M, after Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Serbia and Thailand.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145M is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). In addition, the helicopter is equipped with the Helionix digital avionics suite which, alongside innovative flight data management, includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, which considerably reduces pilot workload during missions. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145M the quietest helicopter in its class.

Source: Airbus
Associated URL: https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-05-brunei-orders-six-h145m-helicopters

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Air Force has run into a snag with its plan to replace its aging UH-1N Huey helicopters. The service originally planned to buy 80 new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters from prime contractor Boeing to patrol nuclear missile sites and handle other domestic missions. However, tight budgets forced the USAF to significantly cut back on the number of helicopters it plans to purchase over the life of the program, bringing the total down to just 42 aircraft.

This decision has triggered a Nunn-McCurdy breach, which is a cost overrun regulation in government defense contracts. The breach is triggered when costs rise more than 25% above the target or 50% over the original estimate. In this case, the reduction in helicopter quantity impacted the overall unit cost of each helicopter, leading to the breach.

The Air Force has already notified Congress about the breach and is managing the program assuming its 2025 budget request, which includes $333.5 million for MH-139 procurement, will be approved. Currently, the Air Force has 6 MH-139s for testing purposes. Boeing is expected to deliver the first production helicopters in 2025, bringing the total to 19 by year-end, with 7 more to follow in 2026. This reduced number of helicopters means some elderly UH-1Ns will likely remain in service at select locations.

Source: Defense News
Associated URL: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/04/30/grey-wolf-helicopter-cuts-lead-to-cost-overrun-breach/

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. -- Kaman Corp recently delivered a new K-MAX helicopter to Black Tusk Helicopter Inc of Squamish, BC, Canada. Black Tusk performs external lift missions, including aerial timber harvesting, ski tower setting, firefighting, and hydroelectric projects.

"Black Tusk is a highly respected operator, and we appreciate the confidence Black Tusk has placed in Kaman and the capabilities of the K-MAX," said Phil Murphy, Vice President of Business Development at Kaman Air Vehicles. "Operators are choosing K-MAX for its proven repetitive lift capability with unmatched performance in the most demanding environments."

According to a statement released by Black Tusk Helicopter, "Our primary business goal is to offer our clients quality helicopter services and to ensure the longevity of our company through repeat and referral business by continuing to provide customers reliable and safe performance in all areas of our business. Adding a second K-MAX to our fleet is an important step towards ensuring we can continue offering our customers the most appropriate and efficient aircraft for their requirements and particular job needs."

The K-MAX features a counter-rotating rotor system and is optimized for repetitive external load operations. It can lift up to 2,722 kilograms (6,000 pounds).

Source: Kaman Corp