Hamilton Sundstrand will announce today that it has been selected to supply advanced fly-by-wire flight control computers and primary actuators for the US Army's UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter fleet.
This agreement has a potential value approaching $300 million, as a full-rate production decision would result in the manufacture of more than 1,200 aircraft.
Built by Sikorsky Aircraft, the UH-60M is the centrepiece of the long-term effort to modernise the army's medium-lift helicopter fleet. Sikorsky has manufactured the army Black Hawk since 1978.
While Hamilton Sundstrand (Hall 5, B19-20) has been supplying flight control computers for Black Hawks for more than three decades, these computers will make the UH-60M the first production US military fly-by-wire helicopter.
Improvements
This new flight control system offers several advantages over current helicopter flight controls, including improved aircraft and engine performance, reduced pilot workload, reduced weight, lower life cycle cost, and significantly higher reliability.
Claverham, a UK-based business unit of Hamilton Sundstrand, will provide main rotor actuators on the fly-by-wire version of the Black Hawk.
Bob Leduc, president of the Hamilton Sundstrand Flight Systems business, says: "The selection of both the primary actuators and flight control computers for this programme underscores the strength of Hamilton Sundstrand's complete fly-by-wire system capability."
Development begins immediately with first flight tests scheduled for 2007. The new flight control computers are programmed to enter service in 2010.
There are more than 2,400 Sikorsky Black Hawk variants in service worldwide with US forces and elsewhere. These helicopters are currently in heavy use supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This agreement has a potential value approaching $300 million, as a full-rate production decision would result in the manufacture of more than 1,200 aircraft.
Built by Sikorsky Aircraft, the UH-60M is the centrepiece of the long-term effort to modernise the army's medium-lift helicopter fleet. Sikorsky has manufactured the army Black Hawk since 1978.
While Hamilton Sundstrand (Hall 5, B19-20) has been supplying flight control computers for Black Hawks for more than three decades, these computers will make the UH-60M the first production US military fly-by-wire helicopter.
Improvements
This new flight control system offers several advantages over current helicopter flight controls, including improved aircraft and engine performance, reduced pilot workload, reduced weight, lower life cycle cost, and significantly higher reliability.
Claverham, a UK-based business unit of Hamilton Sundstrand, will provide main rotor actuators on the fly-by-wire version of the Black Hawk.
Bob Leduc, president of the Hamilton Sundstrand Flight Systems business, says: "The selection of both the primary actuators and flight control computers for this programme underscores the strength of Hamilton Sundstrand's complete fly-by-wire system capability."
Development begins immediately with first flight tests scheduled for 2007. The new flight control computers are programmed to enter service in 2010.
There are more than 2,400 Sikorsky Black Hawk variants in service worldwide with US forces and elsewhere. These helicopters are currently in heavy use supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Source: Flight Daily News
