The Navy has selected four companies to design updates to the MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter in a modernization program led by the H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter program office and the Royal Australian Navy. The modernization will update the helicopter's avionics and mission system architecture while addressing obsolescence issues, the agency said.
Sierra Nevada Corp was selected as the lead aircraft integrator for the MH-60S variant, while Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems was selected for the same role on the MH-60R variant. Rockwell Collins Inc. and Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems were named as segment lead integrators for the flight critical avionics segment and digital backbone system. Technology Security Associates Inc. was selected as a third-party integrator to assess how companies implement modular open systems approaches.
These selections do not constitute formal contract awards and remain contingent on successful negotiation of Phase 1 statements of work. Phase 1 will focus on preliminary design of the avionics and digital backbone systems, while Phase 2 will concentrate on prototype development and verification, the agency said. The project is designed to deliver a cost-effective platform that can rapidly respond to emerging threats and support MH-60 sustainment through the 2050 timeframe.
The MH-60R is used for antisubmarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and command and control. The MH-60S performs antisurface warfare, combat search and rescue, special warfare support, and airborne mine countermeasures.