A group of lawmakers said it’s time for the Air Force to replace the Vietnam-era UH-1N Hueys used by the service’s nuclear forces, and that the military shouldn’t wait for a new helicopter to be designed.
The legacy Huey helicopters are used by security forces at America’s nuclear bases, including Malmstrom, Mont., Minot, N.D., and F.E. Warren, Wyo.
The helos have been in service since 1970, and the Air Force said it expects to award a contract in 2017 to design a replacement.
But a bi-partisan group of lawmakers are petitioning their fellow Congressmen to take action now and replace the Hueys with more modern UH-60M Black Hawks.
“I look at the helicopters and I see glaring weaknesses and vulnerabilities which put our nation and the mission at stake,” said Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and retired Navy SEAL.
“If there are helicopters that are readily available and will save the taxpayer money, we need to get them in the field now,” Zinke said in a statement. “I know the Black Hawk well from my time in the SEALs. It is fully capable and stands ready to fill the need before us. This is not a mission that can fail. Our nuclear triad is at stake.”
He was joined by more than a dozen other representatives who sent a letter to the top Republican and Democrat on both the Armed Services Committee and the House Appropriations Committee.
“These helicopters were declared obsolete many years ago but the Air Force has consistently put its resources into other priorities,” the letters said. “The UH-1N helicopter…has insufficient range, speed, payload, and defensive systems to carry out their mission effectively.”
The lawmakers are suggesting adding more Black Hawks to the Army’s current block buy, then having the Air Force purchase those extras.
Phillip Swarts is an aircraft and space reporter for Air Force Times. He can be reached at pswarts@airforcetimes.com and you can follow him on Twitter at @PFSwarts.
