U.S. Navy awards helicopter parts maintenance contract for record $2.3B

The U.S. Navy has awarded a record contract to Pentagon’s No.1 weapons supplier Lockheed Martin Corp. for MH-60R and MH-60S helicopter parts maintenance.

The U.S Department of Defense (DoD) announced on Friday an agreement worth about $2,3 Billion for the repair, upgrade or replacement, required availability, configuration management and inventory management for approximately 1,049 weapon replaceable assemblies and shop replaceable assemblies associated with both the MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters.

“Work will be performed in various contractor supplier locations throughout the U.S. (48%) of which one percent of the supplier work will be performed by five organic depots via commercial service agreements; Stratford, Connecticut (38%); and Owego, New York (14%),” the DoD message states.

It also added that this contract includes a five-year base period with one two-year option period.

Work is expected to be completed by January 2025; if the option is exercised, work will be completed by January 2027.

The Lockheed Martin’s website said that operational and deployed today with the U.S. Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, the MH-60 helicopter is the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter. It is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.

The MH-60R Romeo is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced helicopter. The MH-60R is designed to combine the features of the SH-60B and SH-60F. Its sensors include the ASE package, MTS-FLIR, the AN/APS-147 multi-mode radar/IFF interrogator, an advanced airborne fleet data link, and a more advanced airborne active low frequency sonar (ALFS). It does not carry the MAD suite. Pilot instrumentation is based on a fully integrated glass cockpit, using several digital monitors instead of the complex array of dials and gauges in Bravo and Foxtrot aircraft.

The MH-60S is unofficially known as the “Knighthawk”, referring to the preceding Sea Knight, though “Seahawk” is its official DoD name. It is based on the UH-60L and has many naval SH-60 features. The helicopter is deployed aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Maritime Sealift Command ships, and fast combat support ships. Its missions include vertical replenishment, medical evacuation, combat search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, maritime interdiction, close air support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and special warfare support.