Boeing announced Aug. 5 it had delivered the first MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter to the U.S. Air Force, writes Stephen Losey for Defense News.

The helicopter will be used to patrol the Minuteman III nuclear missile fields surrounding Malstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

The MH-139 was upgraded for military use at the Boeing Ridley plant. It was originally an AW139 commercial helicopter from the Italian aerospace firm Leonardo.

The upgraded helicopter will replace Vietnam-era UH-1N Hueys.

“This aircraft will directly support ongoing U.S. Air Force modernization efforts,” Azeem Khan, Boeing’s MH-139 executive director and program manager, said in a statement on Aug. 5. “Delivering this asset for the MH-139A fleet is critical to the future of national security as the Grey Wolf will play a crucial role in the U.S. nuclear triad for decades to come.”

Boeing has received an Air Force contract to upgrade 26 total Grey Wolfs.

In 2023, Boeing delivered six test MH-139 Grey Wolfs to the Air Force, which then authorized $285 million to Boeing and Leonardo to build the first 13 Grey Wolfs. Boeing then received a second contract for seven more.  

Read more about the program and obstacles being faced to build more Grey Wolf helicopters in the Defense News.