US Army Reintegrates Over a Dozen MH-139 Helicopters in 2026.

After deciding to cut its MH-139A Grey Wolf fleet by half for the 2025 fiscal year, a new Pentagon review has led the Air Force to reintegrate more than a dozen of these helicopters, thus avoiding a "critical" cost overrun. The service plans to add 14 MH-139A helicopters to its inventory, bringing the total number to "at least 56" aircraft in its future budget request.
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MH-139A Grey Wolf is a US helicopter. (Picture source: Boeing)

This increase in procurement is expected to benefit Boeing, the primary contractor, and the Italian company Leonardo, whose commercial AW139 serves as the base model for the Grey Wolf. Initially, the Air Force planned to acquire 80 helicopters, but this number was reduced to 42 in the 2025 fiscal year budget. However, the recently published Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) from the Pentagon confirms the authorization to add 14 additional helicopters, partially reversing the initial cut.

The SAR indicates the 2026 fiscal year budget, which is generally kept confidential until the full Pentagon spending plan is released in the spring. An Air Force spokesperson declined to provide further information, while Boeing referred inquiries back to the Air Force.

The MH-139A Grey Wolf is designed to replace the aging UH-1N Huey, and its primary mission will be to patrol the Air Force’s extensive nuclear missile silos. According to Andrew Hunter, the Air Force's acquisition chief, this mission will be fully funded, even though other roles traditionally performed by the Huey, such as VIP transport and civilian search and rescue, are facing budget cuts.

With the apparent expansion of the Grey Wolf fleet, it remains to be seen whether some of these missions, initially slated for removal, might be reinstated. Hunter previously explained that the helicopter procurement reduction was due to budget constraints, but this cut also triggered a "critical" cost breach under the Nunn-McCurdy Act. This breach occurs when the total program cost is spread over fewer aircraft, thereby increasing the unit cost. The SAR indicates that the planned increase in procurement for 2026 will bring unit costs below the critical Nunn-McCurdy threshold, although the breach will still be classified as "significant" under statutory guidelines.

The Grey Wolf is equipped with advanced avionics systems, improved range, greater speed (approximately 250 km/h), and enhanced capacity for surveillance and transport missions, while maintaining lower operating costs compared to its predecessors.

The helicopter is designed to perform other roles, such as VIP transport, search and rescue, as well as general support missions. Thanks to its flexibility and state-of-the-art equipment, the Grey Wolf enables the US Air Force to maintain strict surveillance while improving force security and modernizing logistical capabilities in a constantly evolving environment.

The Air Force had deferred the acquisition of helicopters to obtain the necessary certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Acquisition resumed in fiscal year 2023 after receiving the certifications, and Grey Wolf production began last year with Hunter's approval. In August, Boeing announced that it had delivered the first low-rate initial production helicopters to the Air Force.

Additionally, in August 2023, Air Force officials reported progress in securing technical data packages for the Grey Wolf, a traditionally thorny issue for the industry. This advancement is expected to facilitate service-led maintenance and create more competition among contractors for helicopter sustainment.