US Army Black Hawk Helicopters to Receive Collins Aerospace Modular Avionics Upgrade
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RTX’s Collins Aerospace has secured an $80 million contract to upgrade the avionics system of U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters under the H-60M MOSA Avionics Architecture Solution program. The move aims to modernize the aircraft’s cockpit, enhance interoperability, and maintain operational relevance across rapidly evolving battlefields.
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RTX has secured an $80 million contract to upgrade the avionics system of U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters. (Picture source: RTX)
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has been awarded an $80 million contract to upgrade the U.S. Army’s Black Hawk helicopter avionics under the H-60M MOSA Avionics Architecture Solution program. The initiative is set to modernize cockpit capabilities, improve interoperability, and sustain these aircraft’s operational effectiveness amid rapidly evolving battlefields.
At the core of the upgrade is Collins Aerospace’s Mosarc® product family, designed in accordance with a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). This architecture allows the U.S. Army to integrate emerging technologies swiftly and efficiently, enabling real-time updates and faster fielding of mission-critical capabilities.
“Mosarc will provide U.S. Army Black Hawk cockpits with an open systems architecture, enabling swift integration of new capabilities to keep pace with modern operational demands,” said Jenny Miller, vice president and general manager of Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “Not only is the system’s interoperability vital for joint and coalition operations, but Mosarc will also allow the rapid deployment of technology to respond in quickly changing environments and help keep these aircraft relevant for decades to come.”
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission, medium-lift utility helicopter developed by Sikorsky for the United States Army, renowned for its versatility and reliability. First flown on October 17, 1974, and entering service in 1979, it features two General Electric T700-GE-700 turboshaft engines, each producing 1,580 horsepower, driving a four-blade main rotor with a diameter of 16.36 meters.
With a maximum speed of about 296 km/h and an operational ceiling of 5,790 meters, the Black Hawk can transport up to eight personnel (up to 16 in certain configurations) and various mission-critical equipment, making it an ideal choice for troop transport, medical evacuation, and assault operations. Despite its rugged design, which allows for a maximum takeoff weight of 10,660 kg, the Black Hawk remains agile and easy to maintain, highlighted by its extensive worldwide use, with more than 5,000 units built as of 2023. Its standard armament includes two M134 miniguns, and it can be adapted for a range of roles, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of modern military aviation.
By introducing Mosarc into the Black Hawk fleet, Collins Aerospace seeks to streamline future upgrades and reduce long-term sustainment costs, while creating greater commonality across the Army’s current and next-generation manned and unmanned platforms. Work on this contract will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Huntsville, Alabama.
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RTX’s Collins Aerospace has secured an $80 million contract to upgrade the avionics system of U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters under the H-60M MOSA Avionics Architecture Solution program. The move aims to modernize the aircraft’s cockpit, enhance interoperability, and maintain operational relevance across rapidly evolving battlefields.
RTX has secured an $80 million contract to upgrade the avionics system of U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters. (Picture source: RTX)
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has been awarded an $80 million contract to upgrade the U.S. Army’s Black Hawk helicopter avionics under the H-60M MOSA Avionics Architecture Solution program. The initiative is set to modernize cockpit capabilities, improve interoperability, and sustain these aircraft’s operational effectiveness amid rapidly evolving battlefields.
At the core of the upgrade is Collins Aerospace’s Mosarc® product family, designed in accordance with a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). This architecture allows the U.S. Army to integrate emerging technologies swiftly and efficiently, enabling real-time updates and faster fielding of mission-critical capabilities.
“Mosarc will provide U.S. Army Black Hawk cockpits with an open systems architecture, enabling swift integration of new capabilities to keep pace with modern operational demands,” said Jenny Miller, vice president and general manager of Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “Not only is the system’s interoperability vital for joint and coalition operations, but Mosarc will also allow the rapid deployment of technology to respond in quickly changing environments and help keep these aircraft relevant for decades to come.”
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission, medium-lift utility helicopter developed by Sikorsky for the United States Army, renowned for its versatility and reliability. First flown on October 17, 1974, and entering service in 1979, it features two General Electric T700-GE-700 turboshaft engines, each producing 1,580 horsepower, driving a four-blade main rotor with a diameter of 16.36 meters.
With a maximum speed of about 296 km/h and an operational ceiling of 5,790 meters, the Black Hawk can transport up to eight personnel (up to 16 in certain configurations) and various mission-critical equipment, making it an ideal choice for troop transport, medical evacuation, and assault operations. Despite its rugged design, which allows for a maximum takeoff weight of 10,660 kg, the Black Hawk remains agile and easy to maintain, highlighted by its extensive worldwide use, with more than 5,000 units built as of 2023. Its standard armament includes two M134 miniguns, and it can be adapted for a range of roles, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of modern military aviation.
By introducing Mosarc into the Black Hawk fleet, Collins Aerospace seeks to streamline future upgrades and reduce long-term sustainment costs, while creating greater commonality across the Army’s current and next-generation manned and unmanned platforms. Work on this contract will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Huntsville, Alabama.
