Bell has completed structural and power upgrades on an AH-1Z and UH-1Y under the US Marine Corps’ (USMC’s) SPINE programme, with both helicopters now undergoing flight tests at NAS Patuxent River to validate modifications designed to enhance lethality and survivability.
Bell has completed upgrade work on a pair of H-1 helicopters that will inform modifications to increase the lethality and survivability of the rotorcraft in US Marine Corps (USMC) service.
The AH-1Z attack helicopter and UH-1Y utility helicopter received power and structural updates Bell’s Amarillo, Texas factory, says the company.
The work was done under the auspices of the USMC’s Structural and Power Improvements for NextGen Effects (SPINE) programme, which was formerly known as SIEPU – Structural Improvement Electrical Power Upgrade.
The two upgraded helicopters have been sent to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland for continued flight tests, which will help set the final SPINE configuration.
SPINE is intended to equip the H-1 fleet for new weapons and other future capabilities.
“To have these first two aircraft completed under the SPINE programme is a huge moment for us,” says Bell’s H-1 programme director, Scott Sims.
“At Bell, crew safety and aircraft effectiveness remain the number one priority on everything we do. These upgrades will ensure that our H-1 aircraft remain the most capable aircraft available, while operating at the forefront of modern missions. They will continue to excel at the job they were designed to do for many years to come.”
Bell’s work on the two helicopters took over 19 months, with an emphasis on structural strength, electrical capacity, and the helicopters’ digital capabilities.
