IMAGE: AW139M military version proposed for USAF service

[Stratofreighter]

http://key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=2948&t ... n=military

Military AW139 revealed

AgustaWestland has announced a military version of its AW139 medium twin helicopter, the AW139M.

Gary Parsons - 18-Feb-2011

AgustaWestland image

February 18: AgustaWestland has announced a military version of its AW139 medium twin helicopter, the AW139M.

Aimed at the US Air Force’s Common Vertical Lift Support Programme (CVLSP), R Scott Rettig, Chief Executive Officer of AgustaWestland North America said “AgustaWestland meets every US Air Force CVLSP mission requirement while offering substantial acquisition and operational savings.”

If successful, the AW139M will be manufactured in the company’s Philadelphia facility.

It features a high-definition FLIR, self protection equipment including infrared detection and countermeasures, avionics and heavy duty landing gear.

For protection it will have armoured seats, ballistically-tolerant, self-sealing fuel tanks and an external stores system for carrying gun pods, missiles and air-to-ground rockets.

And Agusta Westland's own "PR-blurp" at http://www.agustawestland.com/news/agus ... helicopter

[ehusmann]

If selected, which helicopters would it replace?

Erwin

[SquAdmin]

My guess: the remaining UH-1's in USAF service.

[Stefan]

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity ... e&_cview=1

The Air Force is planning to acquire a Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) to replace the current USAF UH-1N fleet. It is anticipated the USAF fleet of 62 UH-1Ns will all be replaced, with possibly up to 93 air vehicles.

[Glidepath]

Well established US competitors are unlikely to lay down and see this happening without putting up a legal fight and pulling all possible lobbyist's strings. (remember the tanker issues).
Is there money available anyway for the / any replacement?

[ehusmann]

That argument has been used many times before by now, but recent procurements have shown something different. The Tanker bid yes, but that is a very high profile bid and worth a giant amount of money. In smaller bids non-US companies have won quite a few by now (Lakota, T-6, VH-101 - although cancelled due to other reasons). Sure the US companies will bid, but Agusta will have a chance I believe if their helicopters fit the specs.

Erwin