Air Force Global Strike Command has declared the MH-139A Grey Wolf operational, clearing the Boeing-built helicopter for nuclear security missions after initial operational capability was reached on 10 August. The first operational unit is at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, with the aircraft set to support the protection of missile fields and convoy missions that have long relied on the aging UH-1N Huey fleet.
The Grey Wolf programme has been under development for years and now enters field use with the 582nd Helicopter Group and the 40th Helicopter Squadron among the early operators. Follow-on activity is tied to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota as the aircraft is introduced across the nuclear enterprise.
Operational test and evaluation began in January 2025 and concluded in June 2025, while one of the first operational missions took place in January 2026 escorting an ICBM convoy. The Air Force has described the helicopter as a long-delayed modernisation step for its nuclear security support fleet, with fielding now moving from testing into routine operational use.