MD Helicopters awarded US contract for Afghan Air Force MD 530F helicopter support.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on May 28 that MD Helicopter Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $14,500,000 modification to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0038 to provide contractor logistics support for the Afghanistan Air Force fleet of armed MD 530F rotary-wing aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona; Kabul, Afghanistan; and Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021.

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An Afghan Air Force MD-530 at Kandahar Air Wing, Afghanistan. (Picture source: Wikipedia/U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Jared J. Duhon)

Fiscal 2021 Pseudo Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) funds in the amount of $14,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

On November 25, 2019, MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced the receipt of the fourth Delivery Order issued against its 5-year, $1.4 billion light scout attack helicopter IDIQ contract. The Firm Fixed-Price award was for up to 12 armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters for the Afghan Air Force, the largest MD 530F Cayuse Warrior operator globally. ”The MD 530F Cayuse Warrior has played a critical role in creating an effective and sustainable air force in Afghanistan,” said Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer for MD Helicopters. The IDIQ Contract vehicle ensured an estimated quantity of up to 150 armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior and/or MD 530G attack helicopters are available to U.S. and Partner Nation Military Forces. To date, 54 of 150 helicopters are currently under contract with multiple operators.

Powered by the Rolls-Royce 250-C30 650shp turbine engine, all Afghan Air Force MD 530F Cayuse Warrior light scout attack helicopters feature:
* Advanced, all-glass cockpit
* Ballistically tolerant crashworthy fuel system (main and auxiliary)
* DillonAero Fixed-Forward Sighting System
* DillonAero Mission Configurable Armament System (MCAS)
* Ballistic armor protection
* FN Herstal HMP 400 .50 caliber Machine Gun Pods
* M260 7-shot rocket pods