President Trump signed the $1 trillion omnibus spending bill which included in it a major bump in funding for the Air Force’s UH-1N Huey helicopter replacement program.

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky unit is proposing a version of the H-60 Blackhawk

The legislation allocates an additional $75 million toward the program, bumping the final bill adjustment to $93.3 million, according to budget documents. Last year’s request asked for only $18 million.

The spending boost, first reported by Defense News, signals lawmakers’ intent to get the program rolling after much inaction. The replacement program has been in the works for more than a decade.

Congress has not been pleased with the drawn-out process, given one of the helicopter’s primary, stateside missions is to protect U.S. nuclear missile bases. – DoDBuzz

Boeing Military Aircraft also is pursuing the Huey replacement contract

The Air Force is planning to release the final Request For Proposal (RFP) by this summer and hopes to award the contract sometime in fiscal year 2018 which begins October 1st.

Featured image of Huey Helicopter by SSgt. Delia Marchick, US Air Force