Group : Maritime Helicopters
Status : Active
Also Known As : UH-1Y Huey II, UH-1Y Super Huey
Origin : United States of America
Contractor : Textron
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 2008
Total Production : 168

The UH-1Y is the latest derivative of proven UH-1 Huey helicopter being developed under the USMC $4.5 billion H-1 program. It features a four-bladed main rotor powered by two T700-GE-401C engines. Under the H-1 upgrade program a dozen of existing UH-1Ns will be re-manufactured to the UH-1Y configuration with the remaining aircraft to be new built. Aircraft modified under the H-1 program will remain in service with the USMC beyond 2025.

The H-1 upgrade will reduce 70% maintenance costs saving around $1 billion while providing a more survivable, maneuverable, and supportability helicopter using the most modern technologies available. The UH-1Y and the AH-1Z aircraft to be modified under the H-1 program will share 84% of component parts. The UH-1Y features 125% increased payload, 50% increased cruise speed, higher g loads, full digital glass cockpit, TopOwl helmet mounted displays, advanced electronic warfare protection suite, and a crashworthy fuel system to reduce risk of fire over current UH-1Ns. The UH-1Y helicopter primary mission will be troops and materiel transport with a secondary attack capability using rocket launchers. Bell Helicopter will remanufacture 12 existing UH-1Ns to the UH-1Y configuration and deliver the remaining 88 aircraft through a new production batch.

On April 4, 2005, Bell Helicopter Textron was awarded a $104 million contract to exercise an option for low rate initial production (LRIP) Lot II procurement of 3 AH-1Zs and 4 UH-1Ys in fiscal year 2005 under the H-1 program. The work was expected to be complete by December 2007. On 20 July 2006, Bell Helicopter Textron was awarded LRIP lot III procurement contract for 7 UH-1Ys, a UH-1Y flight simulator, and 4 composite maintenance trainers under H-1 program. The lot III contract was valued at $137 million and was slated for completion in September 2008. Bell Helicopter rolled out its first production AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters September 27, 2006, at Amarillo plant, Texas. The US Marine Corps H-1 program calls for 280 upgraded attack helicopters and utility helicopters. The US Marines got the 160th upgraded UH-1Y aircraft in 2018.