Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) has made order of six-armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters from MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI). The contract which was awarded through the U.S. Army Contracting Command (ACC).
The deliveries are scheduled to take to take place in April 2019, with all aircraft delivered prior to the August 2019 contract completion date.
According to Lynn Tilton, the Chief Executive Officer for MD Helicopters, Inc; he explained that the company is looking forward to delivering the six-armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters to the Kenya Defense Forces.
He noted that the MD 530F Cayuse Warrior fleet will be a great additional to Kenyan Air Force (KAF) citing the aircraft’s ability to provide close air support and over-watch for ground operations.
The KAF’s new acquisitions will significantly enhance the Kenyan Army’s modernization efforts, boost critical operations against the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab and support its African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Equipment fitted to Kenya’s MD 530F Cayuse Warriors includes the DillonAero Mission Configurable Armament System, along with an FN Herstal Weapons Management System, DillonAero Fixed-Forward Sighting System, FN Herstal .50 caliber HMP 400 machine gun pods and M260 7-shot rocket pods.
The MD 530F will replace Kenya’s ageing MD500 fleet operated by the 50th Air Cavalry Battalion.
