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 pods

“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.”