The Army plans to keep the UH-60M in service well beyond 2050, more than four decades after the first M-model entered service in 2006. The multi-role helicopter has accumulated more than 15 million flight hours and will require a stable and affordable industrial base to support future defence and domestic operations.
The Utility Helicopters Project Office is seeking industry partners to integrate emerging capabilities into the existing fleet, including autonomy, artificial intelligence and launched effects. These efforts are intended to support the continuous transformation of Army Aviation formations at scale.
The programme will also aim to strengthen the Army’s sustainment enterprise by adding capacity for airframe repairs and component overhauls. This is intended to help maintain readiness as the Black Hawk fleet continues to age.
The Request for Information will assess the industrial base’s manufacturing capability and capacity to deliver UH-60M modernisation and sustainment. It also seeks feedback on how the programme should be structured to manage technical and financial risks and could later include other military services, government agencies and foreign partners.
“The Black Hawk has proven itself across decades of service, and the modernization and sustainment efforts in this initiative ensure our soldiers can continue to rely on the Black Hawk as the workhorse of Army Aviation for decades to come,” said COL Ryan Nesrsta, project manager at the Utility Helicopters Project Office.
