This Old Soldier Isn't Fading Away

Will the OH-5D Kiowa Warrior ever leave the battlefield? The U.S. Army has been attempting to retire that combat-proven but war-weary Bell Helicopter fighter for years, most recently through the planned procurement of Bell's ARH-70A. But problems that have delayed fielding of that armed reconnaissance helicopter have combined with the high tempo of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to make the -58D's retirement target a date that seems to roll forever off into the future. The latest? "We’re going to maintain it through at least 2020, by direction of the Army," said Col. Keith Robinson, that service's director of armed scout helicopters. That will require a steady effort to extend the life and control the weight of the Kiowa Warriors, whose missions in theater today are restricted on very hot days. For related news