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The US Army is seeking industry feedback on plans to modernise and sustain its UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter fleet, as it prepares to keep the aircraft in front-line service well beyond the middle of the century.
Army aviation authorities, through the Capability Program Executive Aviation and its Utility Helicopters Project Office, have issued a request for information to assess how industry could support a comprehensive upgrade and sustainment program for the UH-60M.
The Army intends to operate the Black Hawk past 2050 more than 40 years after the first M-model entered service in 2006. Since its introduction, the helicopter has accumulated more than 15 million flight hours and remains a core platform for both military and domestic operations.
To ensure the fleet remains viable as it ages, the Utility Helicopters Project Office is exploring partnerships with industry to introduce new technologies across the existing aircraft.
These include autonomy and artificial intelligence, as well as “launched effects” capabilities, as part of a broader effort to continuously evolve Army aviation formations at scale.
The proposed program would also strengthen the Army’s sustainment system by expanding capacity for airframe repairs and component overhauls, helping to maintain fleet readiness over the long term.
The request for information is designed to provide a holistic picture of the industrial base’s ability to deliver both modernisation and sustainment of the UH-60M fleet. Industry respondents are also being asked to advise on program structures that could better manage technical and financial risk.
While initially focused on the Army, the program could be expanded in the future to include other US military services, government agencies and international partners that operate UH-60 Black Hawk variants.
Utility Helicopters Project Office project manager Colonel Ryan Nesrsta said the initiative was about preserving a proven capability.
“The Black Hawk has demonstrated its value over decades of service, and these modernisation and sustainment efforts will ensure soldiers can continue to rely on it as the workhorse of Army aviation for decades to come,” he said.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
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