October 11, 2018
By: Tony West
Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-Phila.) celebrated the U.S. Air Force’s announcement to award Boeing and Leonardo, the parent company of AgustaWestland in Northeast Philadelphia, the contract to build as many as 84 UH-1N replacement helicopters in Northeast Philadelphia. It would not have happened but for the Boyle Amendment, which allowed Boeing-Leonardo to compete openly for the contract through a fair bidding process.
Last year, language originally contained in HR 2810, the National Defense Authorization Bill for 2018, pushed a sole-source contract to another company, regardless of its bid, at the taxpayer’s expense. Boyle’s amendment removed the sole-source language to instead use a fair, competitive, and open process. As a result of that process, Boeing-Leonardo was awarded the contract. This has proved fruitful for a major manufacturer in the Northeast.
“The Air Force’s announcement is excellent news for the city of Philadelphia, specifically Northeast Philadelphia, and the United States Air Force,” said Rep. Boyle. “These are 500 jobs that now will be right here in our area. This is a great day for Philadelphia’s hard-working and talented workers.”
Boeing’s MH-139 helicopter derives from the Leonardo AW139 helicopter, which will be assembled at its Northeast Philadelphia plant, with Boeing integrating military-specific components at its facility south of the city. The UH-1N replacement program is a priority for the Air Force and many members of Congress, House and Senate. The Air Force UH-1N Huey primarily accomplishes two vital national-security missions, nuclear missile security and Continuity of Government, and supports five homeland-security missions.
Brendan F. Boyle is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District since Jan. 3, 2015.
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