MD Helicopters, LLC. is an American aerospace manufacturer specializing in the production of light utility helicopters for both commercial and military use. The company was originally a unit of Hughes Aircraft and later became a subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas, which renamed it McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems in 1984. In the late 1990s, it became MD Helicopters following McDonnell Douglas’ merger with Boeing. Today, MD Helicopters is owned by Bardin Hill Investment Partners and MBIA Insurance.
Throughout its history, MD Helicopters has produced a number of successful helicopter designs, including the Model 269/300 and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The company’s civilian line of helicopters, including the MD 500 and variants, was spun off into a newly formed MD Helicopter Holdings, Inc. in 1999 and is currently under the ownership of Dutch company RDM Holding Inc.