Free as a bird as Black Hawk achieves airworthiness award
The first UH-60V with OpenLift architecture entered service with the Pennsylvania National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap in August 2021. (Northrop Grumman)
The UH-60V Black Hawk, based on OpenLift architecture, has achieved an airworthiness award allowing flight in all weather conditions.
The UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter, featuring OpenLift architecture, has been granted Instrument Flight Rules Airworthiness Release by the US Army Systems readiness Directorate.
The aircraft’s development has continued to progress since its first flight in September 2020. This decision expands the flight envelope for the aircraft, allowing pilots to fly the UH-60V under all meteorological conditions.
The UH60V with OpenLift upgrades current UH-60L aircraft, replacing the legacy cockpit with a fully open, digital and integrated avionics package.
The pilot-vehicle interface is nearly identical to that of the UH-60M, enabling common training and operational employment.
The UH-60V’s achievement of airworthiness for its multicore processor is a first for an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
This allows flight-critical systems to be separated safely from the mission software and enables the use of third-party applications.
OpenLift has also been flight demonstrated on the AH-64E Apache and can be extended to other aircraft of the Enduring Fleet and planned Future Vertical Lift aircraft.
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