NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.–The Air Force expects a draft request for proposals (RFP) for its UH-1N replacement program to be available by November with a final RFP targeted for the spring 2017, according to a key official.
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Darlene Costello said Wednesday that the Air Force is also looking to accelerate the program, but this will be based on responses from industry to the draft RFP. Costello said, as of today, the Air Force is aiming for aircraft to be fielded by 2021. The service, she said, is finalizing its acquisition strategy.
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Military Deputy, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch said nine security people is the requirement for how many the UH-1N replacement must carry. Air Force spokesman Maj. Robert Leese said the requirement for UH-1N replacement is nine “fully kitted” passengers and four crew members. The current UH-1Ns are capable of carrying 13 people, including a flight crew of three.
The Air Force released a request for information (RFI) on Sept. 9, according to a notice posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FBO). The service is looking to procure 84 new commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), in-production aircraft and to enter the acquisition life cycle at Milestone C, meaning the program would immediately enter low-rate initial production (LRIP). The service currently has 59 UH-1Ns in the active Air Force.
The Air Force anticipates a contract award in early fiscal year 2018 and first deliveries starting no later than 12 months after award. Service officials once deemed replacing the UH-1Ns helicopters that perform the nuclear missions so important that they originally wanted to award a contract without competition. But the Air Force reconsidered and decided to hold a competition for new aircraft.
Possible bidders include Lockheed Martin’s [LMT] Sikorsky, Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT], Airbus and Leonardo. A replacement contract could run in the range of $800 million to $900 million.
Remarks by Costello and Bunch came at the Air Force Association’s (AFA) annual conference.