Northrop Grumman enhances USN Hueys
The UH-1 "Huey" has been in service since 1956, Northrop Grumman's avionic upgrade should keep the platform in service for years to come. (Photo: Norhtrop Grumman)
The USN has contracted Northrop Grumman to improve the avionics of its AH-1Z and UH-1Y fleets in order to keep the platform flying.
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract by the USN to execute full-rate production of Link 16 for USMC AH-1Zs and UH-1Ys, to include fleetwide integration of data link hardware.
The contract is valued at around $65 million and was announced on 9 March 2022.
Link 16 is a secure data link that allows AH-1Z and UH-1Y crews to share data and communications with other aircraft and user on military networks.
This capability is a critical mission enabler as the US DoD moves to Join-All-Domain Command and Control.
As lead technology integrator for AH-1Z and UH-1Y avionics, Northrop Grumman’s mission systems solution has accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours.
The innovative processes, capabilities and open architecture developed for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y fleets are directly applicable to other platforms.
In particular, these processes could be utilised in future aircraft development programmes such as NAVAIR Vertical Take OFF and Landing Family of Systems, MUX and others.
Lindsay McEwen, VP, navigation, targeting and survivability, Northrop Grumman, comments that the company will: ‘modernise electronic systems across the fleet’ and that ‘Link-16 full rate production is the starting point’.
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