NGAUS Alert – #11-8 – Black Hawk Modernization

The Issue: Army National Guard Black Hawk Modernization

Immediate Action Required: Contact your Senators and Representative and urge them to request additional funding for the National Guard to help modernize the National Guard H-60 Black Hawk fleet.

The Army National Guard operations tempo is the highest it has ever been in support of the full spectrum of state missions including search and rescue, utility/lift, disaster relief, fire fighting, medical evacuation, all while sustaining combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans. The result of these sustained operations is wearing out the National Guard H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter fleet much faster than planned.

The Army National Guard operates more than 800 Black Hawks, and the Guard’s Black Hawk fleet will soon grow to 849. When fully equipped, the Army National Guard will own and operate more than 500 older UH-60A models. The UH-60A model is more expensive to operate, cannot operate at higher altitudes and has a 1,000 lb. lower payload capability than the newer "L" and "M" models.

The Army is modernizing the Black Hawk fleet with three initiatives: fielding new UH-60M utility and HH-60M MEDEVAC helicopters; recapitalizing and converting UH-60A models to the UH-60L model; and developing a digital cockpit for the UH-60L.

Currently, these initiatives are modernizing between 100-115 H-60s per year; however the pace is not fast enough to keep up with rapidly aging Black Hawk fleet. At the currently funded rates, the Army will not retire the UH-60A Black Hawk until 2025. And, by 2025, the "A" model Black Hawks will be more than 35 years old.

Please write your Senators and Representative and urge them to support accelerating the modernization of the Army National Guard Black Hawk fleet. Specifically, we are seeking funds for an additional 10 UH-60M Black Hawk Utility helicopters ($171.0M), 15 UH-60A-A to UH-60L conversions ($24.0M), and UH-60L Digital Cockpit modifications ($11.0M), with language directing the Army to field these systems to the Army National Guard.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION:
By using the “Write to Congress” feature on the NGAUS Web site at www.ngaus.org, you can immediately e-mail your Senators or Representative. A sample letter is included in our “Write to Congress” feature. You can e-mail the pre-written message or edit the sample letter as you desire. This is the quickest and most effective method of expressing your views to Congress. Also, contact your friends and family and urge them to "Write to Congress" as well. For more in-depth information and background visit our web site at: www.ngaus.org. Please direct any questions concerning this issue to Kevin McColaugh, NGAUS Army Programs Manager at 202-408-5899 or via email: kevin.mccolaugh@ngaus.org.