Navy TH-XX pact down to wire

FORT WORTH, Texas – Textron Inc.’s Bell Helicopter announced in a media release April 18 that if its 407GXi helicopter is selected through a Navy contract for the TH-XX Advanced Helicopter Trainer program, it has plans to conduct final assembly at its Ozark facility in southeast Alabama. The Navy wants 130 trainer helicopters to replace its fleet of TH-57 Sea Rangers by 2023. Other competitors are Airbus Helicopters’ twin-engine H135 and Leonardo’s single-engine TH-119. All three met the April 2 deadline to submit final proposals. (Source: Rotor Wing 04/18/19) Of the three, Leonardo’s TH-119 is the only helicopter currently built in the U.S. - outside of Philadelphia, Pa. Airbus builds the H135 in Germany, but has plans to build its version at AHI-Columbus, Miss., where they also builds UH-72A Lakotas for the U.S. Army. Bell builds the 407 in Canada, but announced similar plans to build at a facility within the U.S. in Texas. These Navy rotorcraft are used in primary flight training of all Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard pilots. NAS Whiting Field, Fla., is a primary flight site used helicopter training.