VIETNAM WAR-ERA HELICOPTER COULD REMAIN IN SERVICE UNTIL THE 2050S

The A/MH-6 Little Bird helicopter, crucial for decades to U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) operations, will not be retired as previously planned due to the cancellation of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program by the Army in February this year.

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The FARA was slated to replace the Little Bird from the mid-2030s onwards.

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Steven Smith, USSOCOM’s executive director of rotary-wing programs, highlighted during the Special Operations Forces Week conference that, with the FARA cancellation, the MH-60M Black Hawk will also see its use extended until the 2050s or beyond. “Now, without this solution, we will have to keep these aircraft for a much longer period,” explained Smith.

The Little Bird is operated exclusively by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Since 2016, USSOCOM had already identified the aircraft’s capacity limitations, being responsible for all maintenance and platform upgrade costs.

In 2022, it was observed that the Little Bird’s speed couldn’t keep up with existing formations, nor with future aircraft. Geoff Downer, then-director of the rotary-wing program, suggested exploring alternatives like hybrid power to increase speeds. However, Smith recently indicated that funding for such electrification initiatives seems insufficient.

Nevertheless, the Little Bird will still receive significant upgrades, including a new tactical radio system, enhanced sensors, and a reinforced fuselage by Boeing, increasing its gross weight from 4,700 to 5,000 pounds. These enhancements are expected to keep the aircraft in operation until at least 2034, with USSOCOM already seeking alternatives for the future beyond that date.

Photos and videos: Boeing Defense / Instagram @greeneyes_blackbirds. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.

2024-05-10T14:02:56Z dg43tfdfdgfd