New contract lowers the cost of mission systems and sensors for MH-60R, MH-60S helicopters

Lockheed Martin will deliver more than 200 Common Cockpits for the MH-60R and MH-60 S multi-mission maritime helicopters as part of a 5-year contract recently awarded by the Navy. Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.

In its continuing effort toward increased affordability, the U.S. Navy is taking an approach similar to big box stores that rely on economies of scale to obtain the best possible price from their vendors.

The Navy recently awarded Lockheed Martin a five-year, $1.05 billion contract for more than 200 digital cockpits and integrated mission systems and sensors for its MH-60 maritime helicopters, securing a lower price in return for a longer term commitment.

“This contract award ensures we will continue to deliver quality aircraft to our U.S. Navy customer on time and on budget,” said Dan Spoor, vice president of aviation systems for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors business. “And the multi-year structure allows us to pass on to our customer more than 10 percent savings versus an annual contract, surpassing Pentagon cost predictions.”

A multi-year procurement contract such as this one must meet rigorous criteria before being approved by Congress, including being able to demonstrate double-digit cost savings.

The Navy is streamlining its helicopter fleet by replacing six existing models with just two, the MH-60R and the MH-60S. So far, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 123 of the planned 300 MH-60Rs. The recent contract includes purchasing 162 cockpits, integrated missions systems and sensors for the MH-60R anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare helicopter.

In addition, 62 digital cockpits will help complete the Navy’s planned acquisition of 275 MH-60S helicopters, used for ship-to-ship cargo resupply, search and rescue, humanitarian relief and close-in defense of Navy ships.

The award combines the digital cockpits and the integrated mission systems into a single contract. Previously, Lockheed Martin delivered cockpits and mission systems for the Sikorsky-built aircraft under separate contracts.

Lockheed Martin serves as the integrator for the MH-60 Common Cockpit Avionics Suite – the nerve center of the Sierra and Romeo – and other systems, while Sikorsky manufactures the airframe. The companies have co-developed and delivered helicopters for the U.S. Navy for more than 35 years.

Lockheed Martin delivers on commitment to support Australian industry with Ferra selection to build Romeo shipsets

Lockheed Martin selected Australia’s Ferra Engineering and Missouri’s LMI to build 120 shipsets for the MH-60R maritime helicopter. The two companies will split the MH-60R work worth an anticipated value of approximately $12 million (US). Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.

In January 2011, Lockheed Martin signed a Global Supply Chain (GSC) Deed with Australia’s Department of Defence, promising to identify business opportunities for Australian companies. This week, Lockheed Martin made good on that commitment, selecting Ferra Engineering of Queensland, Australia, as one of two companies to build 120 shipsets for the MH-60R maritime helicopter, known as the Romeo.

Ferra and LMI Aerospace of Missouri will split the MH-60R work worth an anticipated value of approximately US$12 million. The shipsets include weapons pylons for the Romeos’ left and right sides and mission kit assemblies.

“Lockheed Martin is committed to promoting a strong Australian industrial base,” said Dan Spoor, vice president of aviation systems for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors. “This agreement positions Ferra and LMI to perform work not only for the MH-60R helicopters being built for Australia, but also for existing and future Romeos as well. It gives Ferra and Australia an opportunity to show the rest of the world just how good their aerospace industry is.”

Last June, Australia announced its plans to purchase 24 MH-60Rs from the U.S. Navy to replace 16 existing S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters in operation since the late 1980s. The first two Romeos are scheduled for delivery in December 2013. Lockheed Martin performs the mission package integration work on the MH-60R, while Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation builds the airframe.

Ferra specializes in the design, manufacture, assembly and test of aerospace structures and sub-systems for Australian and international defense and aerospace companies. It has developed high speed machining processes for aerospace materials and is also working with Lockheed Martin on the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation multirole fighter.

Founded in 1948, LMI Aerospace fabricates, machines, finishes and integrates formed, close tolerance aluminum and specialty alloy components and sheet metal products primarily for large commercial, corporate and military aircraft.

Under the GSC Deed, Lockheed Martin will continue working to establish long-term partnerships with Australian companies so they can compete for subcontracts on a full range of the company’s products and services.

Navy demonstration enables maritime helicopter to communicate with UAV for first time

From the crow’s nest to scout planes to radar, navy ships have continually looked for ways to expand their view of the horizon and tackle the threats that lurk beyond.

The U.S. Navy now has the opportunity to enhance the situational awareness of the surface fleet, after a successful demonstration linking the MH-60S maritime helicopter with the Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time.

Currently, the Fire Scout and MH-60S often operate in tandem but cannot communicate with each other. The intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data the Fire Scout gathers must be sent back to the ship before being transmitted to the MH-60S and other platforms. In addition, controllers on board ship direct the Fire Scout, which limits its range.

The Navy and industry partners Lockheed Martin, L-3 and Telephonics flew four flights in October 2011 at the Navy’s Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Southern Maryland. The team designed, built, coordinated and flew the test within nine months, representing lightning-quick turnaround on a complex technology insertion demonstration.

The Navy provided its Fire Scout asset, Lockheed Martin coordinated with the industry team to install equipment on board the MH-60S, including the Telephonics radar and the L3 VORTEX data link installed on the MH-60 Sierra.  The Fire Scout is already equipped with an L3 VORTEX data link, which it used to transmit and receive data during the test.
Allowing the two platforms to communicate could vastly improve situational awareness and reduce risk by increasing the Fire Scout’s range while keeping the MH-60S crew out of reach of potential danger. The live FLIR (forward looking infrared) video feed permits a quick situational assessment and faster reaction times since the crew receives an instant, simultaneous feed of radar for broad area surveillance. The Fire Scout also can designate a target for the MH-60S, creating a hunter-killer team to protect the ship.