Northrop Helps Army Test-Fly Upgraded Black Hawk Helicopter

Northrop Grumman has collaborated with the U.S. Army and Redstone Defense Systems to conduct the first test flight of a UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a digitized cockpit.

Northrop said Monday it supplied the Integrated Avionics Suite for the UH-60V modernization program, which seeks to replace the older analog gauges of the Army’s UH-60L Black Hawk fleet with digital electronic instrument displays.

Redstone Defense Systems subcontracted Northrop Grumman in 2014 to modernize the cockpit of the Army’s UH-60L Black Hawks.

Northrop noted that the first flight followed a cockpit design and development effort that was completed on schedule within 29 months of the contract award.

UH-60V’s digital cockpit is designed to comply with the Future Airborne Capability Environment standard as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency’s global air traffic management requirements.

The cockpit works to support the integration of off-the-shelf hardware and software and accommodate upgrades with or without the original equipment manufacturer’s involvement.