Navy Orders More H-1 Aircraft from Bell Helicopter

[tigershark]

 FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 2, 2009) - Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded a new production contract to Bell for the purchase of Lot 6 of the H-1 Upgrade Program, an award worth $288 million.
The 16 aircraft in Lot 6 include five AH-1Z aircraft and 11 UH-1Y aircraft. All 16 aircraft will be built at Bell's Military Aircraft Assembly Center in Amarillo, Texas, with deliveries of completed Lot 6 aircraft scheduled to begin in 2011.
Officials at Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., signed the new production contract Mar. 27. Bell is now on contract to produce a total of 65 upgraded H-1 aircraft for the Marines: 17 AH-1Z attack aircraft and 48 UH-1Y utility aircraft. So far, the company has delivered 23 upgraded H-1 helicopters: six AH-1Zs and 17 UH-1Ys.

Tom Dolney

Source
http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/company/pressReleases/PR_09_0401_NavyOrdersMoreH-1s.cfm

[F-111 C/C]

I've seen several Marines say they prefer the AH-1Z (Zulu Cobra), based on the old Cobra Gunship, to the newer-design AH-64 Apaches. My Dad had a lot to do with the GE T700s engines that they use. They are definately 'Kick-ass' machines.

[tigershark]

I just like this program overall sharing parts between both types saves money on parts and training.