Military · Sunday, 16 August 2026

US Army moves to Robinson R66 under $10B helicopter training program

By AvTLDR Editorial Desk

The US Army has selected the Robinson R66 as its next primary helicopter trainer in a $10 billion contract with M1 Support Services.

TL;DR

M1 Support Services won the 'Flight School Next' competition, replacing the current Airbus UH-72 Lakota fleet with the turbine-powered Robinson R66 for initial rotary-wing training at Fort Rucker. This contract represents a major shift in military pilot training, moving to a contractor-owned and operated model intended to improve foundational flying skills while reducing long-term costs.

This is an automated summary of reporting by AeroTime. Follow the source link for the original article and full context.