The Air Force has formally established a $3.8 billion cost estimate for the UH-1N replacement program -- a price tag that is 65 percent higher than the $2.3 billion contract award announced in September when the service picked Boeing to build a fleet of MH-139 utility helicopters. The helicopters are to patrol nuclear missile fields and evacuate government officials in event of national emergencies. In November, the service advised Congress of a formal acquisition program baseline in an initial Selected...
