• Texas-based aviation company M1 Support Services beat Bell and Lockheed Martin to win the Army's Flight School Next contract, worth up to $10 billion over 26 years.

  • The firm-fixed-price deal converts Fort Rucker's helicopter school to a contractor-owned model using Robinson's single-engine R66 helicopter.

  • Congress previously blocked funding pending a trial program; Bell said it was disappointed, while Lockheed had already been dropped from competition.