Bell ARH-70 Review Recounts Army Scout Helicopter Program Canceled in 2008
Vintage Aviation News has revisited the Bell ARH-70, the proposed U.S. Army armed reconnaissance helicopter whose program ended in October 2008 before production. The aircraft was intended to give air and ground maneuver units reconnaissance and security support while replacing the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet.
Government Accountability Office records describe the Army’s ARH concept as a modified off-the-shelf airframe combined with a nondevelopmental mission-equipment package. The program was also expected to replace part of the Army National Guard’s Apache inventory. It was structured as a streamlined acquisition effort, but it did not progress into operational fielding.
The Department of Defense declined to certify the program for continuation following a critical Nunn-McCurdy unit-cost breach, after which the Army terminated the prime contract for convenience. GAO attributed at least 25 percent cost growth to higher development labor hours and material costs, plus contractor labor rates above earlier projections. A separate GAO assessment summarized the outcome as stemming from cost, schedule and performance problems.
Why it matters
The ARH-70 remains a relevant Army aviation acquisition case study. Its cancellation delayed a replacement for the Kiowa Warrior and certain National Guard Apache assets, while near-term resources were directed toward Kiowa Warrior upgrades as the Army considered alternatives.
Sources: U.S. Government Accountability Office — Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs; Textron Inc. Form 8-K, October 17, 2008; U.S. Government Accountability Office — Army Aviation Modernization Has Benefited from Increased Funding but Several Challenges Need to Be Addressed; Vintage Aviation News — Grounded Dreams: Bell ARH-70 Arapaho
