An MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopter on a security patrol Jan. 8 above the ICBM silos at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. (Teniya Caldwell/U.S. Air Force)
The Air Force’s new helicopter, procured to secure land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles at U.S. bases, made its operational debut in a six-hour mission last week, the Air Force said.
Two MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters provided air cover for a Jan. 8 convoy moving a Minuteman III ICBM at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
The MH-139 replaces variants of the UH-1 Huey helicopter, which have flown the ICBM security mission for over 50 years.
The Grey Wolf has a cruising speed of about 162 mph, compared with 115 mph for the Huey. The MH-139 can carry 5,000 pounds more cargo or personnel than the UH-1N and has more range — aiding the mission to quickly reach all 100 missile silos spread across 13,800 square miles.
An MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopter provides air security on Jan. 8 for an ICBM convoy at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. (Jack Rodriguez Escamilla/U.S. Air Force)
“Executing our first convoy mission with two MH-139s marks a significant step forward in strengthening our missile security operations,” Maj. Gen. Stacy Huser, commander of the 20th Air Force, said in a statement.
The 20th Air Force secures, maintains and operates the U.S. land-based ICBM force. The Minuteman III is part of the “nuclear triad” of U.S. forces that includes manned bombers and submarine-launched Trident missiles.
Boeing developed the MH-139 from the AW139 civilian helicopter designed by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy. Variants are used worldwide for search-and-rescue, VIP flight, security and utility roles.
The U.S. is planning to modernize its ICBM force with the new LGM-35 Sentinel missile. The Pentagon plans to replace 400 missiles in 450 silos and upgrade 600 facilities across 40,000 square miles in six states. The silos are located in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota and Nebraska.
“The MH-139 allows us to continue supporting our ICBM enterprise for decades to come with increased speed, range and lift,” Huser said.
An MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopter flies overhead of a an ICBM convoy on Jan. 8 at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. (Jack Rodriguez Escamilla/U.S. Air Force)
