Bell Helicopter, Army to Meet This Week on ARH

Bell Helicopter officials expected to present their plan to salvage the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program to U.S. Army officials on Friday last in anticipation of a program review this week. The Army on March 21 told the manufacturer and its contractor team it would cancel the contract unless they came up with a plan within 30 days to recover from schedule delays and development problems. The program more than a year behind schedule and the projected unit cost of the aircraft has risen from $5.2 million to more than $9 million. The Army is looking to acquire 512 of the aircraft, most to replace aging and war-weary Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warriors. For related news