The U.S. Army has moved at least two companies into the final stage of its effort to outsource entry‑level helicopter pilot training, according to a report from Defense One.
Bell and M1 Support Services confirmed they’ve moved on to Phase IV of the Army’s Flight School Next program, which aims to replace the aging UH‑72A Lakota fleet and modernize helicopter training with a single, standardized system. Lockheed Martin, a third competitor, did not advance to the final phase.
The finalists will now demonstrate how they would run the Army’s Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) training program under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated model, which Army leaders say could deliver cost and performance improvements. Bell’s approach centers on its 505 helicopter, while M1 proposes using Robinson R66 trainers within a broader training framework.
“Bell is excited about the opportunity to partner with the Army for Flight School Next,” the company noted in a Tuesday press release. “Flight training is in our DNA, and we have the right team, aircraft, and an innovative solution to transform Army flight training at Fort Rucker.”
The initiative has drawn scrutiny on Capitol Hill, with the latest defense authorization legislation pausing some funding and requesting detailed briefings on cost-effectiveness before release. Still, Army officials plan to select a winner by September, aiming to train hundreds to over a thousand helicopter pilots annually under the new structure.