Boeing has conducted the first flight of the AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopter for delivery to the Royal Thai Army at the aerospace company’s facility in Mesa, Arizona.
The facility, where the order of eight helicopters is under production, will also host pilot training for Thai servicemen once the order is completed, Boeing said in a statement. Training activities will also be conducted at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
Christina Upah, vice president for attack helicopter programs at Boeing, expressed pride in partnering with the U.S. Army in providing “critical defense capabilities” through the Thai helicopter procurement. “With its superior performance and flexible, easily configurable mission equipment, the Little Bird packs enormous versatility into a small, combat-proven package to get the job done,” she said.
The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Boeing the Foreign Military Sales order for the AH-6s in February 2022, valued at around $100 million.
Thailand is Boeing’s second international customer for the Little Bird helicopter. The aircraft is integrated with advanced data processing technology, offering enhanced safety and situational awareness for faster decision-making.