Two MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters completed their first operational mission Jan. 8, escorting a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile convoy, the U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday.
Piloted by Capt. Michael White and Capt. Maxwell Turner, the aircraft from the 40th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, shepherded a convoy of missile maintenance and armored security vehicles from the 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron to a remote launch facility more than 100 miles east of the base, according to a service release. The six-hour mission was completed without refueling.
The MH-139A, a militarized variant of Boeing’s Leonardo AW139, offers significant upgrades over the aging Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey that it is replacing, including roughly 50% faster cruise speed, capacity for twice as many armed troops, enhanced missile warning and countermeasures and advanced avionics. A digital glass cockpit and four-axis autopilot enhance aircrew readiness and situational awareness, while robust communications improve coordination with ground forces.
“Executing our first convoy mission with two MH-139s marks a significant step forward in strengthening our missile security operations,” said Maj. Gen. Stacy Jo Huser, commander of 20th Air Force at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, which oversees the service’s three ICBM wings, according to the release. “The MH-139 allows us to continue supporting our ICBM enterprise for decades to come with increased speed, range and lift.”
The mission spanned Malmstrom’s 13,800-square-mile area of responsibility, which includes more than 100 dispersed launch facilities across a diverse terrain of prairies, plains and mountains.
Maj. Nicholas Smith, an MH-139 pilot with the 40th Helicopter Squadron, described the aircraft’s handling as “impressive,” noting it “proved that the Grey Wolf can bring all the required firepower necessary to defend our nation’s nuclear force in a real scenario,” according to the release.
The program has faced significant challenges since Boeing delivered the first MH-139A to the Air Force in December 2019, Defense News previously reported. Fleet plans, originally set at 80 helicopters, were slashed to 42 in April 2024 due to budget constraints, triggering a Nunn-McCurdy cost overrun breach, then increased to at least 56 in September 2024 following a Pentagon review. The program also encountered testing delays, FAA certification setbacks and integration hurdles, extending its timeline from initial deliveries in 2019 to operational use in 2026.
The Jan. 8 flight comes as Air Force Global Strike Command progresses toward declaring initial operational capability for the MH-139 fleet, projected for mid-2026, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. Additional Grey Wolf aircraft are slated to arrive at F.E. Warren and Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, the outlet reported.