MD530 news: Lebanon and Afghanistan
On 29 September 2020, MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced two independent contract awards from Army Contracting Command-Redstone to support allied operations of the MD530F Cayuse Warrior helicopter.
Lebanon
A contract, worth USD 6,4 million, modifies MDHI’s original 2018 production contract to supply six MD530G Scout Attack helicopters to the Lebanese Air Force (LEAF). The modification adds instructor pilot flight training, maintenance and armament training for twelve pilots and sixteen maintenance technicians from the Lebanese Air Force. Training will take place at MDHI’s Flight Training Academy in Mesa, Arizona, which provides military-specific training to customers operating MDHI helicopters. Under the terms of the contract, the academy will provide night vision goggles (NVG), standard military instruction, instructor pilot, train-the- trainer, gunnery, maintenance, armament, and operations in high, heavy, and hot environments training. Two Lebanese Air Force’s new MD530Gs training started in September 2020, and this will continue through April 2021. As a part of the contract, MDHI was awarded increased logistics support to include additional spare parts for the six Scout Attack Halicopters to help the Lebanese Air Force maintain an exceptionally high level of operational availability.
Afghanistan
The second contract, worth USD 6,1 million, requires MDHI to retrofit eighteen legacy MD530F helicopters operated by the Afghanistan Air Force with ballistic-tolerant crashworthy fuel systems (CWFS). Jointly developed with Robertson Fuel Systems, the 59-gallon MD530F CWFS realized extra safety and survivability for crew and helicopter. The CWFS features ballistically self-sealing fuel cells, crash-worthy bladders, gravity fed auxiliary fuel transfer, and combat proven performance. Under the contract, MDHI will perform the retrofit of the CWFS for each helicopter in Afghanistan.
MD Helicopters offers two military variants; the MD530F Cayuse Warrior and the MD530G Scout Attack Helicopter. The difference is that the MD530G has a laser designator and 70mm/2.75 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS). The MD530F lacks these components. So far Afghanistan and Kenya have ordered the MD530F variant.
Photo: MD Helicopters