The US Air Force has awarded Houston-based KBR a $156.7 million contract to support technical assessment and enhancements of the US Army’s UH-60V Black Hawk utility helicopter fleet.
The five-year agreement is part of a multiple-award vehicle contract granted by the US Department of Defence Information Analysis Center.
Under the order, KBR will work with Northrop Grumman to develop technical solutions for the US Army Utility Helicopter Project Office “to increase availability, improve reliability, and reduce the support costs for the UH-60V.”
Furthermore, KBR will provide solutions for validation, prototyping, logistics, program management, testing, upgrades, and life cycle analyses.
Work for the program will be conducted at KBR facilities and partner sites in Huntsville, Alabama.
“KBR is excited to support PEO aviation as they advance Black Hawk technology to better support the US military with this critical asset,” KBR President and CEO Stuart Bradie said.
“KBR and Northrop Grumman bring the experience and expertise to deliver solutions to maintain Army aviation technological superiority and reduce costs.”
The UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter was developed to replace the US Army’s aging UH-60A and UH-60L fleet.
According to KBR, planned modernizations for the UH-60V will focus on the chopper’s fuel system, avionics architecture, and electrical system, drive train, airframe, and latest rotor system.
The new model features several updates over its predecessors, including a digital glass cockpit, advanced flight planning and mission equipment, and a certified GPS area navigation system database.