Bell Helicopter To Supply Huey II helicopters To Kenya, Uganda Under FMS

Bell Helicopter was awarded an $86.9 million foreign military sales (FMS) contract to produce and deliver five Huey II helicopters, spare parts and special tools each to Kenya and Uganda.

The contract value for Uganda is US$34.54 million while for Uganda it is US$52.24. Work will be performed in Ozark, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 29, 2017.

According to information from Bell Helicopter, The Bell Huey II is a multi-million chopper combining commercial Bell 212 dynamic components with the reliable Honeywell T53-L-703 engine, leading to an increase in hover performance in hot conditions. In addition, the Bell Huey II upgrade increases the max gross weight to 10,500 lbs, while lowering direct operating costs. Along with the Bell Huey II kit installation.

Bell Helicopter refurbishes the Bell UH-1H basic airframe to Huey II OEM standards, provides a complete rewire, updates the avionics and offers a comprehensive selection of mission specific kits and customization.

This is perhaps the first major helicopter deal for the US company to the African countries.