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 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 Naval Air Station Patuxent River 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 program is a huge moment for us,” 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 helicopters’ digital capabilities.
