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The contract means that the Air Force will purchase 84 MH-139 helicopters to replace the old UH-1N "Huey" helicopters currently performing the mission.
"The new helicopter will be an important tool for airmen responsible for securing and defending intercontinental ballistic missiles," the air force said in a statement, announcing Monday the attribution of the first part of the contract.
The MH-139 is a military version of the Leonardo AW139 helicopter and will be the result of a joint effort between Boeing and Leonardo and the MH-139 will be manufactured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
"We are grateful to the Air Force for trusting our MH-139 team," said David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager of Boeing Vertical Lift.
The first delivery of an operational helicopter is scheduled for the year 2021, according to the Air Force.
The replacement of the Vietnam era Hueys, which entered the air force in 1970, was central to the efforts of the Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota state legislatures. there are American missile sites.
"At a time when our country is upgrading our nuclear arsenal due to growing global threats and its close adversaries, we can not continue to delay the extra capacity to secure our intercontinental ballistic missile fields," they wrote.
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