Introduction to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a medium-lift utility helicopter with a four-blade rotor and twin engines, designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. In 1972, Sikorsky submitted its design to the United States Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) program.
Selection and Development
The Army designated the prototype YUH-60A and, in 1976, selected the Black Hawk as the official winner of the program. This decision came after a direct fly-off competition against the Boeing Vertol YUH-61, where Sikorsky’s design proved to be more effective.
Black Hawk – A Helicopter You Can Trust
When the stakes are highest, one helicopter always answers the call – the tough and versatile Black Hawk. This proven workhorse and its family of variants support critical missions around the world, handling everything from airstrikes to immediate humanitarian response.
Robust, flying around the world
Sikorsky has delivered more than 5,000 HAWK helicopters to 36 countries around the world. Together, these aircraft have flown more than 15 million hours, including 5 million combat missions. With battle-tested designs and continuous upgrades to technology, the Black Hawk remains at the forefront, reliable to perform whenever the mission is needed.
Black Hawk Modernization with Launched Effects
“Adding launched effects to the Black Hawk increases its mission flexibility and gives the aircraft a decisive edge. The current upgrade is intended to reduce costs, streamline operations, and strengthen overall sustainability and maintainability,” Hamid Salim, vice president of Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky, said in a statement.
The Army has invested years to shape the launched effects program, partnering with multiple vendors to refine requirements and identify deployment methods. Leaders envision the small drones being released in flight from larger aircraft or ground launchers that conduct a variety of tasks, including strike missions as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
Expanding Capabilities for Future Operations
The service plans to build a portfolio of UAS with at least three ranges — short, medium, and long. In a notice published on August 5, the Army’s goal is to accelerate the acquisition of launch effects using a challenge-based other transaction authority model and begin delivering systems to every division and multi-domain task force by 2026.
The Army has always viewed the Sikorsky-built Black Hawk as a key platform for deploying launch effects, and continues to work with the company to ensure smooth integration. Under the new agreement, Sikorsky will design advanced systems and software using a modular open systems approach, creating a foundation that supports future capability growth and upgrades.
US Army Unveils New UH-60V Black Hawk
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA – The US Army unveiled its latest UH-60 Black Hawk variant, the UH-60V, at a ceremony on October 6 at the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site.
EAATS received six UH-60Vs from the Utility Helicopter Program Office in late July. Since then, the school’s instructor pilots have been flying and training in the aircraft to prepare for the education of upcoming students.
Pennsylvania’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, highlighted the importance of the upgrade to the program. “The Victor model enhances the Army’s capability and readiness to handle the demands of the joint force,” he said. “It also strengthens national defense and supports Soldiers on today’s battlefields and for years to come.”
The Army developed the UH-60V to replace its aging UH-60A and L series. The new model includes a modern digital glass cockpit, a validated GPS RNAV database, and enhanced mission planning and navigation systems.
Brigadier General Robert Berry, Army program officer for aviation, emphasized the importance of this milestone. “We invested both time and resources to deliver this platform capability,” Berry explained. “When threats evolve faster than we can adapt and budgets remain limited, it was essential to find a way to upgrade our helicopters quickly and affordably. The UH-60V is our first major step toward achieving that goal.”
EAATS worked with multiple organizations to create a comprehensive training program for the UH-60V. Partners include the National Guard Bureau, UHPO, Evaluation and Standardization Directorate, Army Capabilities Manager-Lift, Training and Doctrine Directorate, and Army Test and Evaluation Command.
Modernizing for Future Missions
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jack Russell, a test and instructor pilot with EAATS, said the UH-60V equips the Army with a modern utility platform that is capable of adapting to changing mission requirements.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Frank Madeira, a standardization pilot and instrument evaluator at EAATS, explained that the UH-60V provides an affordable, fully digital avionics system to replace the legacy UH-60L cockpit.
“This upgraded pilot-vehicle interface acts as a true force multiplier for the National Guard,” said Madeira, a Black Hawk pilot with 18 years of flight experience. “It enhances support for the full spectrum of missions in a digital, joint and integrated battlefield.”
V-280 Valor to Replace Army’s Black Hawk Fleet
The Army is preparing for the next generation of vertical lift with the V-280 Valor, which is expected to phase out its large inventory of Black Hawks. The current contract, which begins with a $232 million award over 19 months and could grow to $1.3 billion, does not include immediate production of operational aircraft. Instead, it focuses on advancing design work and building “virtual prototypes” based on a model-driven system.
“We are not buying aircraft at this early stage,” explained Maj. Gen. Robert Berry, the Army’s aviation program executive officer. The priority is to improve the technology and ensure that the Valor can meet the Army’s future combat needs.
V-280 Speed, Range and Capability
Bell designed the V-280 Velocity as a tiltrotor platform that combines the vertical lift capabilities of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. The Velocity can reach 305 knots — about 350 mph — which beats the Black Hawk by more than 100 mph. It also retains important tactical features, including sling-load operations and the ability to quickly fly troops out of the aircraft by rope.
“Whenever you hear leaders like the Chief or Maj. Gen. Rugen, they focus on speed, range and reach,” said Frank Lazzara, Bell’s director of Advanced Vertical Lift Systems, Sales and Strategy, who also flew the CV-22 Osprey with Air Force Special Operations Command.
“The goal is to move combat forces quickly, suppress the enemy, and secure objectives. The tiltrotor design has already proven that it can deliver these benefits without compromising performance at the point of contact.”
According to Bell, the V-280 can achieve these speeds while carrying 25% more cargo or 23% more personnel than current platforms. It also has an 800-nautical-mile range – more than double the Black Hawk’s 362 miles without refueling.
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