Article Posted on : - Jul 21, 2010

UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter. Photo: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

STRATFORD (BNS): US Army has received its 200th UH/HH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter from Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

The UH-60M and HH-60M helicopters are the latest and most modern in a series of BLACK HAWK variants that Sikorsky has been delivering to the army since 1978.

The helicopters are equipped with the new and advanced airframe, avionics and propulsion system.

"The UH-60M aircraft have been performing phenomenally well in theatre, supporting our troops and providing them with the latest technology for the mission," Doug Shidler, Sikorsky Vice President, Army Programs, was quoted as saying in a company news release.

The new UH-60M and HH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters are ideally suited for missions as it provides reduced pilot workload, increased lift, better protection and enhanced survivability.

The company is expected to deliver more than 1,350 UH-60M and HH-60M aircraft throughout the course of the current contract.

BLACK HAWK helicopters flown by the US Army in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of war have accumulated more than one million fleet flight hours. The US Army's total BLACK HAWK helicopter fleet exceeds 1,740 aircraft.

"The BLACK HAWK helicopter has proven itself in the most extreme and rigorous environments, and each milestone is a testament to its durability and effectiveness," added Scott Starrett, President, Sikorsky Military Systems.

The UH-60M and HH-60M helicopters provide additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, better handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, improved survivability, and improved producibility.

There are, at present, more than 3,000 BLACK HAWK helicopters in use today, operating in 27 29 countries.