DID - Bell Textron Awarded Deal Extension for H-1 Support | 2nd US Aircraft Carrier Arrived in Middle East | STM Lays Keels of Malaysian Navy Ships

Americas The New Zealand Defense Force has finalized the sale of four retired Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H Hercules aircraft to American aerial firefighting company Coulson Aviation for $9 million. The deal, announced on April 11, marks a new chapter for the venerable aircraft that were officially retired from military service earlier this year. The aircraft will be prepared for flight and flown to Coulson’s Maintenance Base in Thermal, California by a commercial crew over the next few months, where they will undergo substantial upgrades and conversion to firefighting tankers. Bell Textron, based in Fort Worth, Texas, has received a contract extension worth about $14.6 million to continue supporting H-1 military aircraft. This extension covers the fourth and fifth years of a long-term agreement that originally included five optional one-year periods. The contract is a firm-fixed-price agreement, meaning the price won’t change. It was awarded without competition, following specific government rules that allow for sole-source contracts when only one supplier is considered suitable. The support will continue until April 13, 2027, for the US Marine Corps. The funding for the project will come from the defense budget for the years 2025 through 2027. The contract was issued by the […]

View the full article