Thu, Feb 10, 2011
Production Facility Will Be Home To 'A2D' Upgrade Program
The newest flight hangar at Bell Helicopter's Military Aircraft
Assembly and Delivery Center in Amarillo, TX Bell Helicopter has
been officially designated for work specifically supporting the
U.S. Army's OH-58 Kiowa Warrior program.
OH-58 Kiowa Warrior File Photo
"We, at Bell Helicopter, are honored by the confidence and trust
the U.S. Army, the Program Executive Officer of Army Aviation, and
the Armed Scout Helicopter Program Management Office has placed in
us." Said Jim Schultz, Program Manager, Army Programs and Fielded
Systems. "The United States Army is the World's largest user
of rotary wing aircraft and we are pleased to have them as a
customer and partner as we move into the future of extending the
useful life of this crucial platform."
The new facility is an 118,000 square foot assembly building
with an adjacent flight ramp of over 500,000 sq feet. Bell
Helicopter took possession ahead of schedule and began working in
the building in October. With the addition of the new flight
hangar, Bell Helicopter has grown to almost one and one-half
million square feet under roof.
In December, Bell Helicopter received the first two cabins to
begin work on the "A2D" conversion program. The program is an
Army initiative to replace war time losses suffered by the OH-58D
Kiowa Warrior. This conversion program takes an existing "A" model
OH-58 and upgrades them to "D" model. The agreement calls for an
initial conversion of eight cabins with an option for a second
group of ten.
Along with the "A2D" cabin conversion program, the new space
will allow Bell Helicopter the option to offer additional services
to meet the Army's needs. The "A2D" conversion will establish a
"hot" production line putting Bell Helicopter in a position to
respond to the Army's potential requirement with "new metal" cabins
to reduce overall fleet age. The Army currently needs 39 OH-58D
Kiowa Warriors to replace the wartime fleet losses.
LtCol Scott Rauer, 13th Product Manager for the OH-58D Kiowa
Warrior, Armed Scout Helicopter Project Office said, "We are hoping
for an opportunity to eventually use all brand new components at
Bell Helicopter. That is what we see as the future of the
program."
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