Lebanon and Kenya to receive Bell Huey IIs

Lebanon and Kenya will become the latest nations to procure zero-timed Bell UH-1H-based Huey II helicopters through the US Army.

Last week, Bell Helicopter of Fort Worth, Texas received $19 million from the Pentagon to furnish three Huey IIs for the government of Lebanon by March 2017.

The same week, the army’s non-standard rotary wing aircraft office began seeking potential sources to produce another five Huey IIs for the Republic of Kenya. The type is a remanufactured version of the single-Lycoming-engine UH-1H manufactured in the 1960s.

The sources-sought notice for Kenya opens the door for potential Huey vendors to submit a statement of capability, but notes that the original equipment manufacturer is Bell “and data required may be proprietary”.

Bell’s Huey II modernization programme rebuilds old aircraft with commercial Bell 212 dynamic components and the Honeywell T53-703 powerplant.

In another contract announcement, Boeing has received $866 million from the army to rebuild 27 CH-47 heavy-lift helicopters into the F-model standard through the Chinook “renew” programme. The contract, announced 15 March, includes 12 new CH-47Fs.

The rebuilt aircraft are delivered off the same production line in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania as the new-build aircraft. Boeing is expected to complete the order, valued up to $897 million, by December 2020.