Boeing Set to Phase Out Legendary Special Ops AH-6i 'Little Bird' Helicopters After Decades of Combat

Arlington County, USA - Boeing is calling it quits on its AH-6i Little Bird production line, marking what could be the end of its involvement in one of the most legendary helicopter families in military aviation history. After fulfilling its current contract with Thailand, Boeing will no longer manufacture the AH-6i, citing a lack of new buyers. The announcement, made at the ongoing DefenceIQ International Military Helicopter conference in London, signals a major shift for the future of this battle-hardened machine.

It’s a tough break for the Little Bird, but not entirely unexpected. Despite its storied reputation, Boeing has only managed to sell the AH-6i to two countries in 15 years—Saudi Arabia and Thailand—while competitors like MD Helicopters have dominated the light attack and scout helicopter market with their MD-500 and MD-530 variants.

A Legacy Written in Fire: The Little Bird’s Special Operations Story

The AH-6 and MH-6 Little Birds aren’t just helicopters—they’re legends. These tiny, highly manoeuvrable warbirds have been at the heart of U.S. special operations aviation for decades. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)—the elite “Night Stalkers” of the U.S. Army—has flown AH-6 light attack and MH-6 assault variants on some of the most dangerous missions in modern warfare.

From Mogadishu in 1993, where Little Birds swooped in to support Task Force Ranger during the infamous Battle of Mogadishu, to their more recent covert strikes in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, these helicopters have been the go-to platform for high-intensity, close-quarters operations. Their ability to slip through urban canyons, land on rooftops, and provide devastating precision firepower in tight spaces has made them indispensable for special operations forces.

The AH-6i, an export-friendly version of the AH-6S prototype, was supposed to take this legacy globally. But despite its combat-proven pedigree, it never found widespread adoption outside the U.S. special operations community. Saudi Arabia bought 24 units for its National Guard (SANG) in 2014, and Thailand signed on for eight helicopters in 2022 under a $104 million contract—but that was about it. Other potential buyers, like Jordan, showed interest but never followed through.

Boeing’s Complicated History with the Little Bird

The Little Bird’s story has always been a bit messy. Originally designed by Hughes Helicopters in the 1960s as the OH-6 Cayuse, it gained a reputation as a fast, nimble scout helicopter during the Vietnam War. Later, the design evolved into the Model 500 series, which became a favourite among both military and civilian operators.

When McDonnell Douglas acquired Hughes in 1984, it took over the Little Bird line, but in 1997, Boeing absorbed McDonnell Douglas—inheriting the entire Hughes Helicopter product family, including the AH-64 Apache and the AH-6/MH-6 Little Bird. However, just two years later, Boeing sold off almost everything related to Hughes Helicopters—except the Apache. MD Helicopters took over production of the Hughes 500-based designs, while Boeing retained its special operations-focused Little Birds program for the 160th SOAR.

Since then, Boeing has continued to upgrade and modify the Little Bird for U.S. Army special forces, developing the Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB) and even experimenting with an uncrewed version (H-6U). However, efforts to secure a broader market for the AH-6S/AH-6i never gained traction.

What Happens to the 160th SOAR’s Little Birds Now?

The Night Stalkers still love their Little Birds, and shutting down production doesn’t mean the helicopter will disappear overnight. The U.S. Army had initially planned to replace some of its AH-6/MH-6 helicopters with a new special operations version of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program. However, with FARA getting axed in 2023, the 160th SOAR is now exploring upgrade options rather than looking for a replacement.

What Boeing’s exit from production means for the maintenance and support of existing U.S. military AH-6s remains unclear. With MD Helicopters still building Little Bird derivatives, it’s possible that the Army may look to them for continued support in the long run.

Boeing’s decision to kill the Little Bird line is just one of many recent cost-cutting measures. The company has been struggling with massive delays and financial setbacks, especially in its defence division.

It recently announced it would shut down F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production and is dealing with major issues on the new Air Force One program, not to mention the delayed deliveries of its T-7A Red Hawk trainer. In short, Boeing is focusing its resources elsewhere, and without a steady stream of new AH-6i customers, the Little Bird just wasn’t worth keeping around.

End of Boeing’s Little Bird, but Not the End of the Little Bird

So, is this really the end for the Little Bird? Not quite. The AH-6 and its cousins will continue flying with the 160th SOAR, and MD Helicopters looks set to keep producing Hughes 500-derived variants for military and civilian buyers worldwide.

Unless a major new buyer emerges soon, Boeing’s chapter in the Little Bird saga is over. But the aircraft itself? It’s survived Vietnam, Mogadishu, Iraq, and Afghanistan—and it’s likely to stick around in some form for years to come.

For now, though, the AH-6i’s story with Boeing ends here, with one final batch of helicopters bound for Thailand—closing the curtain on an aviation legend that redefined special operations warfare.