Corpus Christi, TX Aca,!" Beefier Black Hawks will soon support troops on the ground thanks to the skilled artisans at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. The first UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter recapitalized and upgraded to UH-60L rolled out of CCAD and into the hands of Soldiers June 26, 2009.
The unprecedented UH-60 Aca,!EoeA Aca,!Eoeto Aca,!EoeLAca,!a,,c modification increases the Black HawksAca,!a,,c mission lift, range and load capacity necessary to support our Warfighters at a time when air support is critical.
"The Sikorsky, Program Executive Office for Aviation and CCAD teams worked in very close coordination over the past several months to make this milestone event a reality,Aca,!A? observed Lt. Col. Bert Vergez, Product Manager, UH-60A/L/M.Aca,!A?
Designed to provide for infantry squad delivery anywhere on the battlefield, the Blackhawk is the ArmyAca,!a,,cs utility helicopter of choice. Contributing approximately 2.4 million flight hours since 2003, it is the primary air platform used by commanders to initiate, sustain and conduct combat operations and can deliver arms, troops and supplies at a momentAca,!a,,cs notice.
"Thanks to the Aca,!Eoecan do spiritAca,!a,,c of the CCAD workforce and management team, this Black Hawk will join the fight against our country's enemies as the pivotal aviation combat multiplier for the Army's overseas contingency operations" said Vergez.
The program, known as recapitalization, or Aca,!A"recapAca,!A? for short, is part of the Army's ever present effort to reduce platform sustainment costs and contain the expense of replacing aging helicopters with new ones.
Overhauling and upgrading structural, engine, and airframe components allows Army Aviation to realize an asset that is equal to or better than a new one.
This Black Hawk was handed over to Company A, 3-238th Combat Support Aviation Battalion of the Delaware National Guard.
Aca,!A"ItAca,!a,,cs a great thing to do something for our Warfighters with the great team that we have,Aca,!A? said Col. Joe Dunaway, Commander, Corpus Christi Army Depot. Aca,!A"WeAca,!a,,cre able to provide them with the product they absolutely need to be successful.Aca,!A?
Performance increases include enhanced capability for lift and MEDEVAC operations, sling load missions, increased range and more power for contingency operations and improves all critical areas of reliability and maintainability, adding more than 10 years of useful service life
Aca,!A"Knowing that you can hand that logbook off to the crew,Aca,!A? said Dunaway. Aca,!A"Is like handing off a piece of this team, it makes us very proud.Aca,!A?
Many recapitalized aircraft delivered to the ARNG subsequently deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF).
Fleet Sustainment
Recognizing the need to develop innovative sustainment programs to support the demand of an aging fleet, the ArmyAca,!a,,cs Chief of Staff approved the Utility Helicopter Recap program in July 2002. Recap is the fundamental tenet of Black Hawk fleet sustainment. CCAD has been providing recapitalized UH-60AAca,!a,,cs to the warfighter ever since.
In July 2007, CCAD, in partnership with the Utility Helicopter Program Office, Aviation and Missile Command, Aviation and Missile Research Development & Engineering Center, and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. inducted a prototype UH-60A aircraft for recap and upgrade to UH-60L. The successful completion of the prototype in August 2008 paved the way to transition the program from UH-60A-A to UH-60A-A to L Recap..The UH-60A-A to L prototype is in operational use today by the California Army National Guard.
"This is the first of many aircraft deliveries that greatly increases the war fighter's capabilities,Aca,!A? said Richard Golob, Program Manager Sikorsky - CCAD Partnership. At the same time it reduces the overall cost significantly"
The Army plans to recapitalize more than 400 UH-60A BlackHawk helicopters including those already delivered under the UH-60A-A Recap Program. CCAD along with Sikorsky and other industry partners are postured to recap 48 UH-60L Blackhawks per year beginning in 2009.
These airframes will continue to provide employment and with production and management controls understood, allow for some growth. This is a new line for production that will add to the overall amount of work already in place for the Depot.
"The Sikorsky partnership is dedicated to the continued improvement of both quality and productivity, said Golob. Aca,!A"ItAca,!a,,cs proved by the CCAD Sikorsky Technical, Engineering, Logistics Support Services program recently awarded Sikorsky's Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Gold award."
As Black Hawks continue to be employed both at home and around the globe, Recap will continue to be the cornerstone of sustaining the fleet. Along with that, the next chapter of Black Hawk Recap, UH-60L-L, is just around the corner.
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