Lockheed Martin to oversee extensive avionics repair and overhaul on Navy MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters

PHILADELPHIA, 22 April 2012.Helicopter avionics and subsystems experts at the Lockheed Martin Corp. Mission Systems & Sensors (MS2) segment in Owego, N.Y., will perform extensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) on cockpit avionics for the U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk utility helicopters that are based aboard surface warships.

Lockheed Martin received a $61.4 million contract Thursday to repair and overhaul 182 weapons replacement assemblies and shop replaceable assemblies for the common cockpit of the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. Lockheed Martin also will repair and overhaul the electronic support measurement receiver processor on the MH-60R helicopter, as well as the organic airborne mine countermeasure on the MH-60S.

The MH-60R and MH-60S are special Navy variants of the Sikorsky UH-60 utility helicopter. The MH-60R is for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and other kinds of maritime warfare, and has a secondary search and rescue capability.

The MH-60R carries the latest version of the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) avionics suite, as well as the Aircraft Survival Equipment (ASE) package, the multi-spectral targeting system (MTS) forward-looking infrared sensor (MTS-FLIR), an advanced airborne fleet data link, and advanced airborne active sonar.

The MH-60R has a glass cockpit common to the MH-60S and other Seahawk versions, which substitute digital avionics displays for a complex collection of dials. The helicopter also has Mk-54 air-launched torpedoes and Hellfire missiles.

The MH-60S Knighthawk, meanwhile, is deployed aboard amphibious assault ships and fast combat supply ships for troop transport, vertical replenishment, and a secondary search-and-rescue role. The helicopter carries the ALQ-144 infrared jammer, and in the future will have the AQS-20A mine detection system and an airborne laser mine detection system (ALMDS) for identifying submerged threats in coastal waters.

Awarding the contract are officials of the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity in Philadelphia. Under terms of the contract, Lockheed Martin will oversee work by several different defense companies to repair and overhaul a variety of avionics subsystems on the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. Work should be finished by spring 2015.

Among the contractors working with Lockheed Martin on this helicopter MRO contract are:

-- Hamilton Sundstrand Aerospace in Phoenix;
-- the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Systems segment in Salt Lake City;
-- Telephonics Corp. in Farmingdale, N.Y.;
-- GE Aviation Systems in Grand Rapids, Mich.;
-- the Navy Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego;
-- Flightline Systems in Victor, N.Y.; and
-- Kaman Aerospace in Middletown, Conn.

For more information contact Lockheed Martin MS2 online at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/ms2, or the Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support activity at www.navsup.navy.mil.

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