Posted: 12/3/2004 4:44:08 AM EDT
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Lockheed Martin Wins $15.6 Million Contract To Integrate Armed Helo Under U.S. Navy Multimission Helicopter Program Wednesday December 1, 9:01 am ET OWEGO, N.Y., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a $15.6 million contract to integrate the Armed Helicopter mission kit for the MH-60S helicopter. The award represents Phase III of the U.S. Navy's Armed Helo program. Phase III, a two-year effort, covers integration from the preliminary design review, completed by Lockheed Martin in Phase II, through completion of operational testing. The Armed Helo mission kit includes sensors, avionics, weapons, integrated self-defense (ISD) and survivability capabilities. Initial operational capability of the Armed Helo is scheduled in September 2006. The MH-60S helicopter is a multimission platform being acquired by the Navy to replace the CH-46 and HH-60H helicopters. MH-60S aircraft in the Armed Helo configuration will perform organic combat search and rescue (CSAR), maritime interdiction operations (MIO), surface warfare (SUW) and carrier plane guard/SAR. "The Navy has an urgent need to arm helicopters flying in harm's way," said Jeff Bantle, vice president, Multi-Mission Solutions for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration -- Owego. "With helicopters increasingly flying in high- threat environments, the Armed Helo will provide critical protection for our warfighters." The Armed Helo program adapts key features of the MH-60R helicopter, including the ISD suite, Hellfire missiles and forward-looking infrared (FLIR), to the MH-60S platform. The mission kit also gives the crew capability to fire laser-sighted 7.62 mm guns from the port and starboard cabin windows and laser-sighted 0.50 caliber guns from the port and starboard cabin doors. The MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters are designed with a common cockpit that includes full-color, night vision device-capable, sunlight-readable displays, digital communications, fully integrated global positioning system and inertial navigation system, mass memory data storage, and integrated mission computer. Lockheed Martin is the systems integrator for the MH-60R and provides the cockpit, which is common to all MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters. Sikorsky designs and manufactures the MH-60S and MH-60R aircraft and is responsible for the mechanical and electrical modifications on the airframe. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041201/nyw069_1.html |
The Army doesn't use the BlackHawk as a gunship. The only exception that I'm aware of are those that are used by the SF types and those are configured in the way not as described in the original post. |
They're also different missions, and different munitions used by the Navy which do indeed require money to make happen correctly. The Army used to use rockets that weren't compatible with shipboard use. The ship's radar and such would fire them while you were on the deck. The USMC used variants of Army helicopter ordnance to be able to operate shipboard, as does the 160th, which operates shipboard more often than most people know. The Army's gotten alot more ship compatible in the last ten years, but it's aircraft are not designed with shipboard ops in mind as priority. Since the Navy's hawk would have to not only interface with the ship's data link, use Navy weapons that the Army doesn't even use (like Penguin, and the 30mm mine killing cannon), and still be able to fold up, I can easily see the need for the price tag. There are actually very valid reasons why the four services fly different aircraft sometimes. Ross |
Good points, as usual. I've seen the MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters at LMSI-Owego, and they're significantly different from the UH-60, though it may not be evident to the casual observer. They also differ significantly from each other. For instance, the Romeo has the folding tailboom of the Sea Hawk, while the Sierra has an airframe closer to the Black Hawk.
As Ross alluded to above, some Army helicopters are in that environment a lot. And here and there are other helicopters that live in that environment. For example, the HH-60G Pave Hawks at Patrick AFB show evidence of living in salty air. Corrosion =  |