Leenn067--美陆海军采购H-60型直升机

U.S. Orders $7.4B in H-60 Helicopters

By KRIS OSBORN


The U.S. Army has more than doubled the number of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters it plans to buy by 2012.
Some of the new aircraft will be an improved variant of the M models. Dubbed M-Upgrade, they will contain fly-by-wire systems, the U.S. military’s first operational helicopters to have such controls, Army officials said.
On Dec. 12, Army and Navy officials signed a $7.4 billion deal with H-60 maker Sikorsky to buy 537 H-60 Hawk helicopters. That includes roughly 290 UH-60 Black Hawk Ms and HH-60M Medevacs for the Army and roughly 240 MH-60 Seahawks for the Navy.
The contract also contains an option to buy 263 more aircraft, which could take the total value up to $11.6 billion, a Sikorsky statement said.
Earlier this year, the Army had planned to buy only 90 UH-60Ms by 2012, Maj. Tory Burgess, an Army assistant program manager for the UH-60M, said in May.
The Army now plans to buy 54 UH-60Ms in 2007, 52 in 2008, 64 in 2009, 73 in 2010 and 47 in 2011, according to Army Program Executive Office-Aviation documents dated Dec. 7.
The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act allocates $955 million for 52 Ms, up from the $705 million the Army requested.
The new fly-by-wire system, called Fully Automatic Digital Engine Controls, will give the helicopters the kind of controls standard on fighter jets for almost 20 years, said Mike Skaggs, a Sikorsky test pilot. The new gear, which will control the engine, hydraulic pistons and main rotor head, will improve maneuverability, Skaggs said.
“With fly-by-wire, we go to three flight-control computers, because the computers are not just helping the aircraft fly — they are flying the aircraft,” Skaggs said. “I am essentially flying the aircraft by remote control but I happen to be sitting at the cockpit. All the electronic commands could just as easily be sent over the radio.”
In fact, he said, autonomous flight capability is being mulled for helicopters several years down the road.
He said several prototypes of the canceled Comanche helicopter program had fly-by-wire technology, but the UH-60M-upgrade will be the Army’s first frontline fly-by-wire helicopter, Skaggs said.
Its first flight test is slated for 2010, he said.
Other improvements in the M-upgrade include the Common Avionics Architecture System, a digital, GPS cockpit display on the CH-47 Chinook and other Army choppers.
Existing M models improved on predecessor UH-60s by adding digital instrumentation, GPS navigation and more lift. å
美陆海军采购H-60型直升机

    美陆军、海军12月12日与西科斯基公司签订价值74亿美元的合同采购多达537架的H-60型直升机，使该型机将一直生产到2012年。另据该公司官员反映，合同可能还包括有选择的再采购263架H-60型直升机，使合同总价值达到116亿美元。此项采购主要情况有：（1）美陆军：美陆军将采购约290架UH-60M“黑鹰”直升机和HH-60M医疗救护直升机。陆军采购UH-60M直升机具体计划为：2007年54架，2008年52架，2009年64架，2010年73架，2011年47架。新机将装备包括最新的电传操作系统和三台先进的飞控计算机在内的全自动数字发动机控制系统、全新的液压活塞泵以及主旋翼毂。（2）美海军：美海军仅宣布将采购240架左右的MH-60“海鹰”舰载直升机。U.S. Orders $7.4B in H-60 Helicopters

By KRIS OSBORN


The U.S. Army has more than doubled the number of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters it plans to buy by 2012.
Some of the new aircraft will be an improved variant of the M models. Dubbed M-Upgrade, they will contain fly-by-wire systems, the U.S. military’s first operational helicopters to have such controls, Army officials said.
On Dec. 12, Army and Navy officials signed a $7.4 billion deal with H-60 maker Sikorsky to buy 537 H-60 Hawk helicopters. That includes roughly 290 UH-60 Black Hawk Ms and HH-60M Medevacs for the Army and roughly 240 MH-60 Seahawks for the Navy.
The contract also contains an option to buy 263 more aircraft, which could take the total value up to $11.6 billion, a Sikorsky statement said.
Earlier this year, the Army had planned to buy only 90 UH-60Ms by 2012, Maj. Tory Burgess, an Army assistant program manager for the UH-60M, said in May.
The Army now plans to buy 54 UH-60Ms in 2007, 52 in 2008, 64 in 2009, 73 in 2010 and 47 in 2011, according to Army Program Executive Office-Aviation documents dated Dec. 7.
The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act allocates $955 million for 52 Ms, up from the $705 million the Army requested.
The new fly-by-wire system, called Fully Automatic Digital Engine Controls, will give the helicopters the kind of controls standard on fighter jets for almost 20 years, said Mike Skaggs, a Sikorsky test pilot. The new gear, which will control the engine, hydraulic pistons and main rotor head, will improve maneuverability, Skaggs said.
“With fly-by-wire, we go to three flight-control computers, because the computers are not just helping the aircraft fly — they are flying the aircraft,” Skaggs said. “I am essentially flying the aircraft by remote control but I happen to be sitting at the cockpit. All the electronic commands could just as easily be sent over the radio.”
In fact, he said, autonomous flight capability is being mulled for helicopters several years down the road.
He said several prototypes of the canceled Comanche helicopter program had fly-by-wire technology, but the UH-60M-upgrade will be the Army’s first frontline fly-by-wire helicopter, Skaggs said.
Its first flight test is slated for 2010, he said.
Other improvements in the M-upgrade include the Common Avionics Architecture System, a digital, GPS cockpit display on the CH-47 Chinook and other Army choppers.
Existing M models improved on predecessor UH-60s by adding digital instrumentation, GPS navigation and more lift. å
美陆海军采购H-60型直升机

    美陆军、海军12月12日与西科斯基公司签订价值74亿美元的合同采购多达537架的H-60型直升机，使该型机将一直生产到2012年。另据该公司官员反映，合同可能还包括有选择的再采购263架H-60型直升机，使合同总价值达到116亿美元。此项采购主要情况有：（1）美陆军：美陆军将采购约290架UH-60M“黑鹰”直升机和HH-60M医疗救护直升机。陆军采购UH-60M直升机具体计划为：2007年54架，2008年52架，2009年64架，2010年73架，2011年47架。新机将装备包括最新的电传操作系统和三台先进的飞控计算机在内的全自动数字发动机控制系统、全新的液压活塞泵以及主旋翼毂。（2）美海军：美海军仅宣布将采购240架左右的MH-60“海鹰”舰载直升机。