The aircraft will complete its final assembly at the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center.
27 July 2021: Bell Textron has restarted UH-1Y helicopter production for Crestview Aerospace as a part of the US Department of Defense contract signed in 2020. Accordingly Bell has completed manufacturing the first of eight cabins at Crestview Florida facility. The aircraft will complete its final assembly at the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center.
Paul Kohlmeier, senior vice president, Strategy and Business Development, Crestview Aerospace said, “Crestview Aerospace is honored and grateful for the opportunity to team with Bell on the continued production of the UH-1Y cabin for the first international customer. Crestview continues to build in the same high quality and reliability into the international Venom helicopters that underpin the aircraft currently operated by the United States Marine Corps around the world.”
Bell delivered the final UH-1Y for the United States Marine Corps program in April 2018 and has continued to produce and deliver the AH-1Z as part of the H-1 production contract for 349 H-1 aircraft, consisting of 160 UH-1Y and 189 AH-1Z.
The UH-1Y shares 85 percent commonality of parts with the AH-1Z. The commonality between the aircraft enabled critical component supply chains to remain active during AH-1Z production for the USMC.
“Time, logistics, and man-hours are all strategic resources,” said Mike Deslatte, vice president and H-1 program director, Bell. “Commonality helps ensure everything between the Viper and Venom, from manufacturing, maintenance, and upgrades, remains seamless while simultaneously providing lower program and life cycle costs. It’s a real tactical advantage on multiple levels.”
The UH-1Y and AH-1Z share the same engines, integrated mission system and dynamic components, such as the four-bladed rotor system. Both aircraft are specifically designed and produced for expeditionary operations. Together, they provide a full spectrum of military operations, unlike any other helicopter duo.
