Boeing, Boeing Co., European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. and Textron Inc. may bid to develop a new reconnaissance helicopter for the U.S. Army, which plans to fund it with money that was committed to the canceled Comanche helicopter.
The Army last week requested comments by Nov. 15 from potential bidders for inclusion in a draft document that outlines the aircraft's requirements, according to the U.S. government's Federal Business Opportunities Web site. After that, the service will issue a final request for bidders.
The Army freed up $14 billion budgeted through 2011 for the Comanche reconnaissance helicopter that was being developed by Boeing and United Technologies Corp.' s Sikorsky Aircraft unit, said Bob Hunt, spokesman for the Army Aviation and Missile Command.
Textron's Bell unit made the current fleet of 370 Army OH-58 helicopters that the new aircraft will eventually replace.
Textron started working on its bid for the new program two weeks after the announcement of the Comanche cancellation, said Alan Moffatt, the director of the Bell unit's armed reconnaissance helicopter program.
