US Army to Pay Sikorsky Nearly $5B for Black Hawk Work
The U.S. Army in June awarded Sikorsky a five-year, firm-fixed-price contract to produce 257 H-60 Black Hawks for the U.S. Army and foreign military sales program customers, the Defense Dept. said.
The U.S. Army in June awarded Sikorsky a five-year, firm-fixed-price contract to produce 257 H-60 Black Hawks for the U.S. Army and foreign military sales program customers, the Defense Dept. said.
Worth $3.8 billion, the contract includes an option for an additional 103 aircraft, Sikorsky parent Lockheed Martin said. Should the option be exercised, the contract total could reach $5.2 billion, the manufacturer said.
“Four decades of production, strong program execution and delivery on behalf of the warfighter, coupled with great affordability for the taxpayer, have been the cornerstones of this program,” said Sam Mehta, president of defense systems and services for Sikorsky. “This contract allows us to continue supporting the important missions the Black Hawk performs as the workhorse utility and medical evacuation helicopter in the U.S. Army inventory.”
Sikorsky is to provide associated services for program system management, engineering, technical data and publication until the estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Lockheed Martin said actual production quantities will be determined each year based on funding. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in October.
Navair Welcomes New V-22 Program Manager
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command’s V-22 Joint Program Office has a new leader. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly (at right in photo)took command of the Marine/U.S. Air Force/U.S. Navy program in July.
Kelly succeeds USMC Col. Dan Robinson, the program manager since 2013. He oversaw the delivery of 118 aircraft. “Colonel Robinson has set the bar high,” Kelly said. “The V-22 team is an outstanding group of professionals who are dedicated to the success of the V-22 program. Together, I know we will continue to build on this successful program.”
Kelly previously served as MV-22 military lead for the program, Navair said. He becomes the Osprey program’s 12th program manager. Robinson’s next assignment has him at the Navair 6.0 Logistics and Industrial Operations office.
The V-22 program, PMA-275, manages the cradle-to-grave procurement, development, support, fielding and disposal, Navair said. It also manages the Navy’s CMV-22B. RWI
