Delivers 30th Helo To 4-101 Assault Battalion
On Wednesday, Sikorsky delivered the 30th UH-60M Black Hawk
helicopter to the US Army for the 4-101 Assault Battalion, making
it the First Unit Equipped (FUE) with the aircraft.
The new aircraft provide the Army with many enhancements
critical to supporting its missions. These enhancements include a
new fully digitized cockpit with four multi-function displays, a
four-axis fully coupled flight director, digital map, dual embedded
global positioning/inertial navigation system, and an integrated
vehicle health management system (IVHMS).
The model also features wide chord composite blades and an
increased shaft horsepower performance engine.
"Our employees showed tremendous determination and teamwork to
produce these aircraft and get them to the field on time," said
Sikorsky President Jeffrey P. Pino. "The new program required a
major ramp-up and a necessary learning curve, but we were united in
our commitment that we were not going to let our soldiers
down."
"What has been accomplished over the past seven months is
nothing short of phenomenal," said Lt. Col. Bert Vergez, Army
UH-60M Helicopter Product Manager, upon receiving the final FUE
aircraft. "Thanks to Sikorsky, the 4-101 Assault Battalion will
have aircraft to carry them through to victory. In all my 22 years
of active service, I have never been more proud of America's
citizen soldiers -- the Sikorsky team is truly above the best."
The UH-60M helicopter is slated to replace older Black Hawk
helicopters currently in the US Army’s fleet and represents
the Army’s third standard baseline Black Hawk version in the
30-year production history of the program. In December 2007, the US
government and Sikorsky Aircraft signed a five-year, multi-service
contract for 537 H-60 Hawk helicopters to be delivered to the US
Army and US Navy.
In addition to the UH-60M helicopters, the contract involves
HH-60M Medevac, MH-60S Seahawk and MH-60R Seahawk aircraft. The
contract value for expected deliveries is approximately $7.4
billion and includes options for an additional 263 aircraft,
spares, and kits, with the total contract value potentially
reaching $11.6 billion. Pentagon acquisition priorities and funding
allocations set by Congress will determine actual production
quantities year by year over the life of the program.
Deliveries are scheduled to take place from 2007 to 2012.