Brief ·
Bell Textron: $114.7M to upgrade Marine Corps AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters
An option exercise. All of the money is obligated at award.
TXTMapped by Backlog Defense. Verify before relying on it. Contract N0001926C0140
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The signal
The Navy exercised an option on Bell Textron's contract for H-1 structural and power improvements, the Next-Gen Effects Phase III effort for the Marine Corps AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters.
| Contractor | Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas |
|---|---|
| Contract | N0001926C0140, modification P00001 |
| Value | $114,692,840 option exercise |
| Scope | 15 A-kits, 4 mission kits, 9 aircraft installations, plus spares |
| Funding | $114,692,840 Navy aircraft procurement, obligated at award |
| Other | Not competitively procured; expected completion June 2028 |
Source: Department of War contracts listing, Oct. 30, 2026
Read carefully
- The full $114.7M is obligated at award, from Navy aircraft procurement funds.
- This exercises an option on an existing contract (modification P00001). It is not a new program.
- It buys kits, installations and spares: 15 A-kits, 4 mission kits and 9 aircraft installations.
- The option was not competitively procured.
Scale
$114.7M
Option value, all obligated at award
≈1.5%
Option value vs Bell's backlog of $7.6B
June 2028
Expected completion
Bell figures from Textron's Q3 2026 results. The work runs to June 2028, so these are scale checks only.
Why it matters
The kits support electrical power upgrades and structural improvements on the Marine Corps' AH-1Z and UH-1Y. Bell reported lower military revenue in its latest quarter.
- Bell revenue was $933M in Q3 2026, down 9%.
- Military revenue fell $59M, largely on lower volume on the MV-75 program.
- Bell's backlog stood at $7.6B at the end of the quarter.
What to watch
- Whether the Navy exercises further options on this contract.
- How Bell's military revenue and backlog move in coming quarters.
- Progress on the nine aircraft installations ahead of June 2028.
Sources
The award in the tracker
| List date | Company | Branch | Kind | Stated amount | Contract | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 2026 | Bell Textron Inc.Textron Inc.TXTMapped by Backlog Defense. Verify before relying on it. | Navy | Modification | $114,692,840 | N0001926C0140Read the brief | Official list for 30 Oct 2026 |
Source textBell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $114,692,840 fixed-price-incentive, firm-fixed-price, and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00001) to a previously awarded contract (N0001926C0140). This modification exercises an option for the H-1 structural and power improvements for Next-Gen Effects Phase III effort to procure 15 A-kits, four mission kits, nine aircraft installations, long-lead and time-critical components, associated materials and labor, and spares in support of electrical power upgrades and structural improvements to the Marine Corps AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (38.1%); Amarillo, Texas (28.7%); Tempe, Arizona (6.3%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (4.5%); Stilwell, Oklahoma (2.6%); Anaheim, California (2.2%); Phoenix, Arizona (1.5%); Lebanon, New Hampshire (1.5%); Crestview, Florida (1.4%); Chicago, Illinois (1.1%); various locations within the continental U.S. (11%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1.1%), and is expected to be completed in June 2028. Fiscal 2027 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $114,692,840 will be obligated at the time of award. This modification was not competitively procured. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. | ||||||