Bell Textron has been awarded a potential $300 million contract by the Department of the Navy to install structural and electrical upgrades on Marine Corps H-1 helicopters. The subsidiary of Textron announced the award on Monday, noting that the deal includes a base period alongside three option years.
The modifications fall under the Structural and Power Improvements for NextGen Effects program, commonly referred to as SPINE. The contract covers 49 aircraft, specifically 28 AH-1Z Vipers and 21 UH-1Y Venoms. Bell plans to execute the work at its Amarillo Assembly Center, with modifications scheduled to begin in mid-2027 and the first deliveries expected in 2028.
The financial structure of the contract combines firm-fixed-price, fixed-price incentive, and cost-plus-fixed-fee arrangements. The SPINE upgrades are designed to increase the electrical power available on the aircraft and rebuild existing subsystems into a scalable electrical architecture. This change is intended to allow for the addition of new equipment over time.
The program aims to establish Series A capability, which includes improved defensive systems, digital interoperability, and the enhanced electrical power. This involves integrating net-enabled weapons and data links, such as Link 16 and an advanced data bus. For the UH-1Y variant, separate mission kit changes will improve fast rope, hoist, and litter equipment to support personnel recovery operations.
Col. Jason Duke, the program manager at PMA-276, stated that the electrical increase will ensure the H-1 fleet remains relevant through the 2040s. The program was previously known as the Structural Improvement and Electrical Power Upgrade, or SIEPU. Bell has already completed SPINE modifications on one AH-1Z and one UH-1Y, which underwent flight testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River to determine the final configuration.
This new contract, designated Phase 3.0, marks the start of fleet modification into the tested configuration. The work follows earlier efforts that began at Bell’s Drives System Center and Repair and Overhaul Center before moving to Amarillo.
