UH-60V Achieves First Flight

January 19, 2017

On 19 January, 2017 SES and its Redstone Defense Systems Joint Venture partner Yulista Aviation successfully completed the initial test flight of its Engineering Development Model UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter.

The completion of the flight was a collaborative effort among several organizations within the military and industry.

The successful flight of the UH-60V working prototype represents a significant milestone in the UH-60V program and moves one step closer to getting an enhanced, modern air capability to the operational force.

AMRDEC's Prototype Integration Facility (PIF) is being used to design and develop three Engineering Development Models and a corresponding technical data package. The PIF contract provides rapid response prototyping, engineering, manufacturing & technical support.

The kits will be furnished to CCAD to produce two additional EDM aircraft in preparation for LRIP. These additional EDMs will supplement EDMs 1-3 for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2019. The Army Acquisition Objective for the program is 760 aircraft.

The UH-60V program upgrades the UH-60L aircraft with a digital cockpit. The open architecture-based cockpit design replaces analog gauges with digital multifunctional displays and enhances situational awareness for aviation warfighters. The UH-60V, which features one of the Army's most advanced avionics solutions, has a pilot-vehicle interface that is nearly identical to the UH 60M.