Maxwell Air Force Base is in line to be the home for the MH-139A Grey Wolf Formal Training Unit, a strategic and economic coup for the facility as another base mission fades away.

The Air Force announced Nov. 20 it has chosen Maxwell’s 908^th Airlift Wing as the preferred location to host the Grey Wolf, which is the replacement platform for the UH-1N Huey helicopter. The Hueys support the Air Force’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) missions.

The Air Force plans to conduct an environmental impact analysis before making its final basing decision in the winter of 2021, according to an Air Force news release. The first aircraft are scheduled to arrive in 2023.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama applauded the Air Force decision.

“This long-awaited news regarding the MH-139 Grey Wolf is excellent for Maxwell, the Montgomery area and the entire state,” Shelby said.

“It comes as no surprise that the 908th Airlift Wing has again been chosen to receive advanced, state-of-the-art aircraft for our Air Force. I am pleased that Maxwell will continue this tradition with this next-generation aircraft,” Shelby added.

The MH-139A Grey Wolf lands at Duke Field, Florida, Dec. 19, 2019, before its unveiling and naming ceremony. The aircraft is set to replace the Air Force’s fleet of UH-1N Huey aircraft and has capability improvements related to speed, range, endurance and payload. (Samuel King Jr./U.S. Air Force)

Business and economic development officials in Montgomery praised the decision.

“Maxwell AFB’s selection for this next-generation flying and training mission shows that Montgomery and Maxwell are on the leading edge in supporting the Air Force as it accelerates change and innovates to prepare America’s Airmen and protect our nation,” said Anna Buckalew, president and CEO of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

She praised Shelby and U.S. Rep. Martha Roby for supporting the effort.

“Montgomery’s defense sector is a critical economic driver for our region, and this is further proof of the momentum that continues to build for our future,” Buckalew said.

Local elected officials said the decision underscores the region’s support for the military and its strategic role in the nation’s defense.

“The impact this decision will have on our community is significant,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed. “Montgomery continues to prove that it is not only serious about its support for our military but that we are serious about our ability to look ahead, to anticipate opportunities and to successfully compete for the projects, missions and initiatives that will continue to carry our community and our nation forward, well into the future.”

Montgomery County Commission Chairman Elton Dean added, “Congratulations to the men and women of the 908^th Airlift Wing who have received a vote of confidence from our national defense leadership.

A C-130 Hercules aircraft of the 908th Airlift Wing takes off from Maxwell Air Force Base with the wing’s maintenance hangars in the background. The MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter will replace the mission of the CH-130. The 1,200-member 908th Airlift Wing is expected to transition to support the MH-139. (U.S. Air Force, USGOV-PD, Wikimedia)

“Montgomery is known as the best hometown in the Air Force because of our exceptional and enduring partnerships between Air Force leadership, the Montgomery community and our congressional delegation’s tireless support,” Dean said.

The MH-139 Formal Training Unit (FTU) will train pilots in providing security and support for the nation’s ICBM fields spanning Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska, the Air Force said. It will replace the mission of the Air Force Reserve’s 908th Airlift Wing’s aging C-130H “Hercules” transport planes currently at Maxwell.

The Montgomery Chamber said airmen supporting the C-130 mission in Montgomery will transition to support the MH-139. The 908th Airlift Wing comprises nearly 1,200 people with an annual economic impact of more than $60 million, the chamber said.

The Air Force said the new MH-139 helicopter “closes the capability gaps” of the UH-1N Huey in speed, range, endurance, payload and survivability in support of ICBM missions. Other mission capabilities include civil search and rescue, airlift support, and survival school and test support.

“The MH-139 will be an absolute game changer, providing increased intercontinental ballistic missile security in support of USSTRATCOM nuclear deterrence operations,” said Gen. Tim Ray, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command.

“The Grey Wolf will bring significantly improved capabilities, ready to rapidly deliver more defenders to missile fields while also providing increased convoy security,” Ray said.