McDonnell Douglas, U.S. Army Sign $1.9 Billion Aircraft Pact
April 29, 2011
McDonnell Douglas Corp. said Friday it signed a $1.9 billion, multiyear agreement to rebuild 232 helicopters for the U.S. Army within the next five years. In a press release, McDonnell Douglas said due to cost savings in the contract including options, the Army will be able to procure more aircraft compared to five single-year acquisitions. First deliveries are scheduled for March 2012. The advanced acquisition phase of the contract, signed in December, provided for McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems in Mesa to rebuild 18 AH-64D Longbow Apaches in the first year of production. The multiyear purchase increases the Longbow Apache production rate in the first year to 24 aircraft and 232 over five years. During that time, the Army will field two additional combat-ready Longbow Apache battalions. McDonnell Douglas said the contract also includes funding for the company to train pilots and maintenance personnel for the first two equipped units, incorporation of interactive electronic technical manuals, first article testing of the production aircraft, initial spares and a variety of program support tasks for the first production lot. It also provides funding of an option for pilot and maintenance training devices. The Army plans to remanufacture its entire AH-64A Apache fleet of more than 750 helicopters within the next decade. Remanufacturing efforts began earlier this year at McDonnell Douglas. More than a dozen veteran AH-64A Apaches have been flown to Mesa where they are being stripped to bare fuselage in preparation for the remanufacturing process. The first AH-64A Apache fuselage, which has been prepared for the remanufacturing process, moved to the Longbow Apache final assembly line this week. The AH-64D is being developed by Team Apache Modernization, which includes the Army, McDonnell Douglas as total systems integrator and a joint venture comprised of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop the Longbow fire control radar and the radar frequency Hellfire missile.
