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MDHI and Boeing offer Little Bird
July 13, 2004 10:05am
Flight International


MD Helicopters (MDHI) and Boeing have sealed a formal arrangement to jointly offer the MH-6 Little Bird for a major US Army programme to replace the service's Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters, Boeing has confirmed.

Army leaders are understood to favour the MH-6 Mission Enhanced Little Bird, already in development for the US Special Operations Command, for the light armed reconnaissance helicopter (LARH) programme. Competition is expected from Bell as well as Europe's AgustaWestland and Eurocopter.

MDHI acquired the H-6 (MD 550) production line in Mesa, Arizona from Boeing in the late 1990s, but needed a larger partner to compete for the proposed LARH order for 368 aircraft for delivery after 2007. The LARH programme was established using some of the $14.6 billion freed by the army's decision to cancel the Sikorsky/Boeing RAH-66 Comanche in February.

However, the US Senate and House have voted to cut funds for the LARH effort in the fiscal year 2005 budget, criticising the project as premature until more details are disclosed.


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"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader

I hope it's not the little bird. I'd rather see something like the A129 or the Aussie version of the Tiger, even if it is French.

What's wrong with Littlebirds Ben?

Manueverable little bastards.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction"

Ronald Reagan

Don't get me wrong, the little bird is very good at what it does. But the LARH is supposed to have a secondardy role as an attack helicopter and I can't see the little bird being much of an improvement over the Kiowas. If the Army wants a LUH based LARH, a variant of the Eurocopter Panther (H-65) or Agusta A109 (H-68) would make better platforms and are already in U.S. military service. Personally, I would rather see an off the shelf light attack helicopter. Let the A129 Scorpion. AH-1Z, Tiger ARH, and Rooivalk compete for the contract with the stipulation that the helicopter must be U.S. built.