The helicopters escorted missile maintenance and armoured security vehicles to and from a launch facility more than 100 miles east of Malmstrom Air Force Base without refuelling during the six-hour movement. The operation demonstrated the extended range, speed and lift of the MH-139 as the Air Force prepares to retire the UH-1N Huey after more than 50 years of service.
“Executing our first convoy mission with two MH-139s marks a significant step forward in strengthening our missile security operations,” said Stacy Huser, commander of 20th Air Force. “The MH-139 allows us to continue supporting our ICBM enterprise for decades to come with increased speed, range and lift.”
The mission also provided valuable operational experience as 20th Air Force moves towards initial operational capability for the Grey Wolf fleet. “I am incredibly proud of our Airmen who made this success possible,” said Bryant Bevan, commander of the 582nd Helicopter Group. “This mission provided us a multitude of lessons learned, which we will utilize as we continue to work toward accomplishing IOC for the MH-139.”
The MH-139 programme has been under way for several years, beginning with the delivery of the first aircraft by Boeing in December 2019. Since then, Malmstrom has hosted conversion training, evaluation flights and, most recently, the first operational convoy mission supporting nuclear security operations.
“Our ICBM mission is the foundation of strategic deterrence, and it demands absolute reliability, security and readiness,” said Daniel Voorhies, commander of the 341st Missile Wing. “The MH-139 strengthens nuclear surety by giving our Airmen a more capable platform to protect our forces as they carry out the nation’s most imperative mission, 24/7/365.”
Source: U.S. Air Force.
