Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in Tuesday testimony to House appropriators, said the department is taking another look at Army aviation reductions tied to its Transformation Initiative.
- The Army’s FY2027 request slashes procurement to near-zero for key helicopters, dropping Apache buys from $361.7 million to $1.5 million, Black Hawk from $913 million to $39.3 million, and Chinook from about $629 million to $210 million.
- Lawmakers from both parties warned of harm to the aviation industrial base, with Rep. Rosa DeLauro citing more than $5 billion in cuts and Rep. John Carter saying funding for Apache, Black Hawk, and Chinook is essentially zeroed out.
- Senior Army leaders said they will keep Apache, Black Hawk, and Chinook fleets in service for decades, with Maj. Gen. Clair Gill stressing that sustainment funds will maintain current aircraft even as new programs advance.
- The Army Transformation Initiative redirects money toward future systems like the MV-75, the service’s next long-range assault aircraft, after canceling a tactical drone competition and halting Gray Eagle buys, a shift that could slow production lines and push skilled workers out of the helicopter sector.