MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) is proud to announce it has been awarded a Firm Fixed-Price contract for the provision of Contractor Logistics Support (CLS), Contractor Field Service Representatives (CFSR), and both CONUS and OCONUS training. The contract – issued through Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal on behalf of the Multinational Aviation Special Project Office (MASPO) – will provide support for the six (6) MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters ordered for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) via MD Helicopters’ 5-year $1.4B IDIQ Contract.

“We are pleased MD Helicopters was selected to provide mentorship, maintenance expertise, and Pilot and Maintainer training to the Kenya Defence Forces,” said Lynn Tilton, MD Helicopters, Inc. Chief Executive Officer. “As the aircraft OEM, no one is better suited to provide the full spectrum of aftermarket operations, training, and support services to our customers.”

Shipment of the 6-aircraft Kenyan MD 530F Cayuse Warrior fleet – which will include a U.S. Army-issued AWR – will be complete by the end of the year. Powered by the Rolls-Royce 250-C30 650shp turbine engine, these aircraft will feature an advanced, all-digital glass cockpit, ballistically tolerant crashworthy fuel system, Harris RF-7850A tactical radio, Rockwell Collins HF-9000D, and the full complement of mission equipment that is standard to the Cayuse Warrior:

• FN Herstal Weapons Management System
• DillonAero Mission Configurable Armament System (MCAS)
• DillonAero Fixed-Forward Sighting System
• 62mm ballistic armor protection
• FN Herstal .50 caliber HMP 400 Machine Gun Pods
• M260 7-shot rocket

“Excellence in product design and customer support is the cornerstone of our decades-long legacy serving U.S. and Allied forces,” Tilton continues. “This legacy, coupled with the recent approval of GFRC, enhances U.S. Government confidence in our ability to provide comprehensive ground and flight support in accordance with the highest operational standards.”
Effective 1 September 2019, this contract has an initial period of performance through 30 December 2020. Transition training will take place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with OCONUS operations, including field service support, armament, and gunnery training, scheduled to occur at Laikipia Air Base, Kenya.

“The MD 530F Cayuse Warrior is a proven platform for light scout attack combat operations,” Tilton concludes. “Supported by the skilled men and women of the MD Helicopters team, our military operators have successfully flown hundreds of missions annually, maintaining operational readiness rates in excess of 90%. We welcome the Kenya Defence Forces to the global MD Helicopters family, and are committed to exceeding the training, support, and performance expectations of both our U.S. Army and KDF customer.”

MD Helicopters Awarded Contract to support Kenyan MD-530F Cayuse Warrior Fleet

HAL designed and developed Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) successfully demonstrated high altitude capability in hot and high weather conditions in the Himalayas. The trials were carried out by the test pilots from HAL, IAF and the Army from August 24 to September 2, 2019.

The LUH has complied with all the requirements of the users and with the completion of hot and high-altitude testing, it is close to operational clearance certification, says Mr R Madhavan, CMD, HAL.

All planned tests were successfully demonstrated. A comprehensive test plan was executed at Leh (3,300m) in temperatures up to International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) +32 degree C which included envelope expansion, performance and flying qualities.

The LUH then lifted off from Leh and demonstrated its hot and high hover performance at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at 5,000m followed by another forward helipad (5,500m at ISA +27degree C). While these extreme weather conditions imposed flight restrictions on all other civil and military aircraft, LUH flights were unhindered as it is designed for such operations.

The helicopter embarked on a 3,000km flight from Bengaluru to Leh over a period of three days traversing many civil and military airfields. During the course of ferrying and trials at high altitude, the chopper revealed high reliability without any service support.

The composite trials team included designers, flight test crew of HAL, the Indian Air Force and Indian Army. Representatives of CEMILAC and ORDAQA witnessed the trials for military and civil certification requirements respectively.

The flights were completed by an HAL flight test team led by Wg Cdr (Retd) Unni Pillai, CTP(RW) and accompanied by Wg Cdr (Retd) Anil Bhambani, Gp Capt (Retd) Pupinder Singh, Gp Capt V Panwar, Wg Cdr A Jena, a representative from the Air Force Gp Capt R Dubey and Lt Col R Grewal from the Indian Army.

The LUH completed hot weather trials at Nagpur in 2018, cold weather trials at Leh in 2019, sea level trials at Chennai in 2018 and at Puducherry in 2019.

HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Clears High Weather Tests at Himalayas