The Program Executive Office Aviation’s Utility Helicopter Project Office hosted several senior Army National Guard Aviation Officers at the Huntsville, Al. International Airport July 13 for a flight demonstration and informational update on the UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter program in preparation for the aircraft becoming part of the ARNG fleet.
The UH-60V, a retrofit UH-60L model, includes many updates, most notably a modernized glass cockpit similar to that found in the UH-60M. The UH-60V will have a modern digital cockpit, increasing a pilot’s situational awareness while reducing the pilot work load, resulting in a more capable and safer aviation platform. The upgraded helicopter is the first aircraft to implement open architecture, a critical element of the Future Vertical Lift Ecosystem.
By re-capitalizing the current legacy fleet, the U.S. Army will be able to deliver the UH-60V with UH-60M like capabilities for significantly less than the price of a new aircraft. Additionally, the commonality between the two is nearly identical, which reduces training cost. H-60M qualified pilots will only require a unit-level transition to fly the 60V.
PEO Aviation’s Utility Helicopters Project Management Office will begin fieldling the Eastern Area ARNG Aviation Training Site, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania beginning the last week of July, with the EAATS becoming the First Unit Equipped with the helicopters. The U.S. Army plans to convert 760 legacy UH-60L Black Hawks to the modernized UH-60V and they will remain part of the Black Hawk enduring fleet well into the future.
