MD Helicopters (MDH) closed a contract with the Nigerian federal government for 12 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Plus Scout/Attack helicopters during a signing ceremony in Nigeria. The aircraft will be operated by the Nigerian Army Aviation to effectively tackle the security challenges in the country. The acquisition of the new attack helicopters is part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria to enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Army Aviation towards achieving constitutional responsibilities in a joint environment. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja commented at the opening ceremony of the maiden Nigerian Army Aviation Seminar in Abuja, that the MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Plus attack helicopters would operationalize the Nigerian Army aviation unit, which was set up to improve ground troops’ agility, responsiveness, and efficacy during operations. The COAS added that it would also contribute to the overall operational success of joint and coalition troops. MD Helicopters will begin delivering the aircraft to Nigeria in the fourth quarter of 2023. The Nigerian selection includes a complete ILS package, spares, pilot and maintainer training, and a simulator.
“MD Helicopters is grateful for the trust of the Nigerian government, and we’re excited to showcase this purpose built, best value solution to Nigeria and the world,” says MD Helicopters President and CEO Brad Pedersen, who attended the ceremony alongside Nigerian military leadership.
The MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Helicopter is a proven tactical scout and light attack aircraft built from the MD 530F design and valued for its unmatched power, safety, speed, agility, and unparalleled confined area capabilities. The MD 530F Cayuse Warrior aircraft is equipped with one 650 shaft horsepower (shp) rated Rolls Royce 250-C30 engine de-rated to 425 shp for 30 minutes and 375 shp maximum continuous power (MCP). To support increased takeoff performance there are additional transients of 450 shp for 30 seconds and 500 shp for 10 seconds.The ‘Plus’ version features mission enhancements that include the weapons system, avionics improvements, armor, and increased power performance: a precision firing weapons aircraft with Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) and MX-10D laser-guided capability.The upgraded armed aircraft is referred to as the MD 530F Cayuse Warrior for the remainder of this specification. MDH added an Electronic Flight Instrument System Upgrades or “Glass Cockpit” with the installation of the Garmin G500TXi and Howell Instruments Inc Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System. The EICAS uses two independent displays that provide indication of aircraft systems even in the event of single failure. The dual G500 TXi displays serve as a primary flight display (PFD) and the multi-functional display (MFD).
MD Helicopters, LLC (MDH) manufactures high-performance rotorcraft solutions that support operators flying military, commercial, law enforcement, utility, and VIP mission profiles. With thousands of aircraft in service worldwide, MDH has been designing and building aircraft known for their safety, versatility, responsiveness, speed, and reliability since 1947. The company commitment to product sustainment and customer success allows MDH to deliver aircraft unmatched in their performance and reliability. MD Helicopters, LLC is owned by an investment consortium comprised of MBIA Insurance, Bardin Hill Investment Partners LP, and MB Global Partners.
