There is a new sibling in the Black Hawk helicopter family. The U.S. Army revealed the latest model, the UH-60V, in a ceremony located at the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site.
EAATS Training
Six UH-60Vs were sent to EAATS from the Utility Helicopter Program Office toward the end of July. Instructors took the time between July and now to train on the new model to be ready to train students.
“The ‘Victor’ model will extend the Army’s capability and capacity to meet the demands placed on the joint force. Additionally, the model will ensure national security and support warfighters now and well into the future.”
General Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler
EAATS was one of the first Army units to get the new variant. Schindler was honored and excited that EAATS was picked to be the very first unit with the UH-60V.
“The EAATS is an accomplished organization, proving time and time again to be a force multiplier for all components of the U.S. Army and our multi-national partners, unmatched in the Army enterprise.”
General Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler
New Variant Design
The UH-60A and L fleet were beginning to show their age, so the UH-60V was created as an upgrade. The variant has an updated digital glass cockpit, a certified GPS RNAV database, and advanced flight planning and mission capability.
Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie said in the ceremony that the UH-60V is the Army’s first opportunity to update the helicopters it currently has.
“And because our threat is evolving faster than we are, and because our dollars are limited, it was absolutely essential that we find a way to bring capability onto our platforms more affordable and more rapidly, and that’s what this platform is the first of our ability to do.”
Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie
Brig. Gen. Stanley Budraitis agreed, saying the program is vital to the United States. EAATS and other organizations are working together to create a training program for the helicopter.
Chief Warrant Officers 5 Jake Russell, an instructor and test pilot for EAATS, said the variant is a modernized aviation platform that will assist with the Army’s needs as they evolve.
“Whether using the GPS navigation capability in the national airspace system or flying tactical routes in the battlespace, the UH-60V’s integrated avionics package provides the necessary information for safe and efficient mission execution.”
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jake Russell
