As ARH Runs Delayed, OH-58D Perseveres

The U.S. Army and Bell Helicopter have settled on a new plan for the ARH-70A armed reconnaissance helicopter that delays fielding of the aircraft by nearly two years. In Congress, the pair are fighting to preserve the program in the face of House criticism that threatens to cut all production funding for the next fiscal year. Meanwhile, the aging, overworked aircraft the ARH-70A is intended to replace fights on. The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, another Bell product, has surpassed 1.4 million flight hours and over 300,000 combat flight hours. Despite the fleet’s age, its high usage rates, and the harsh environmental conditions in which it is operating in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bell says, the OH-58D is maintaining readiness rates above 80 percent.  For related news