Boeing Rolls Off Apache AH-6i Helos for Saudi Arabia National Guard

Air Platforms
Saudi Arabian National Guard to begin receiving AH-6i helos

Gareth Jennings, Mesa, Arizona - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

08 June 2016

Blogger's Note 1: These helicopters and other deadly attack weapons are responsible for killing hundreds of innocent children in Saudi Arabia's war attacks in Yemen. A scandal has erupted with Amnesty International over the U.N.'s chief Ban-Ki Moon bding pressured diplomatically and financially to remove Saudi Arabia from a list that would restrict sales of weapons ... You can watch and listen to one report by activating the video above  

In another media report from The Intercept it is stated
"U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon publicly acknowledged Thursday that he removed the Saudi-led coalition currently bombing Yemen from a blacklist of child killers — 72 hours after it was published — due to a financial threat to defund United Nations programs.
The secretary-general didn’t name the source of the threat, but news reports have indicated it came directly from the Saudi government.
The U.N.’s 2015 “Children and Armed Conflict” report originally listed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen under “parties that kill or maim children” and “parties that engage in attacks on schools and/or hospitals.” The report, which was based on the work of U.N. researchers in Yemen, attributed 60 percent of the 785 children killed and 1,168 injured to the bombing coalition. . . "
Read more by hitting the underlined link above
"Boeing will shortly begin delivering AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopters to Saudi Arabia, with the first of 24 platforms set to roll off the Mesa production line in Arizona in the coming days.

With aircraft 61001 now in the final phase of assembly following its return to the line from the paint shop on 6 June, deliveries of the first batch to the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) will begin before the end of the month.
Coincident with the aircraft deliveries, training of US instructor pilots is set to commence in the coming days also. The first SANG student pilots will arrive at Mesa at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2016, with about seven pilots typically rotating through Mesa for one year at a time before returning to Saudi Arabia.
Boeing was awarded the contract to build the AH-6i helicopters for the SANG in September 2014 (although this was actually revealed by company in late 2013). The imminent commencement of deliveries to the SANG comes approximately seven months after Boeing stood up AH-6i production in December 2015. Running parallel to the AH-64E Apache Guardian's 12-station assembly line at Mesa, the current seven-station AH-6i line (consolidating at five stations for full-rate production) will be putting out two helicopters per month. The last of the SANG's 24 platforms is set to arrive on the line in February 2017.
Blogger's Note #2: Boeing currently receives the 'green' AH-6i airframes from MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI), which builds them at its Monterrey facility in Mexico, ahead of systems assembly and integration by Boeing at Mesa. A company spokesperson said that, while this arrangement will continue for the first 24 helicopters, no decision has yet been taken as to whether or not it will continue after that.
The AH-6i is based on the 1960s-era Hughes Model 369 (OH-6 Cayuse in US Army service) light scout helicopter, and features an enhanced powerplant, payload, and avionics package."
Want to read more?
For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options　ihs.com/contact