US Army Black Hawks receive new filtration system

Donaldson Aerospace & Defense has begun deliveries of the next-generation filtration solution for the US Army’s H-60 Black Hawk helicopter engines. The dry media filtration system will provide 99 percent particle separation for the Black Hawk’s Inlet Barrier Filtration (IBF) systems.

Donaldson developed the non-woven dry media solution in response to an army request. Based on the company’s proprietary nano-fiber technology, the solution will protect engines on the Black Hawk fleet from contamination, performance degradation and failure.

The technology replaces woven oil-coated filtration media with a dry media solution which is easier to maintain than the oil-coated type and can be cleaned using basic techniques – helping to reduce maintenance and support requirements in the field.

Eric Erickson, general manager, Donaldson Aerospace & Defense St. Louis division, said: ‘Since its formation 30 years ago this month, [US] Army Aviation has consistently made the most of available technology to bring support and protection to the warfighter. As the army’s primary rotorcraft filtration supplier, Donaldson is proud to continue our tradition of helping army aircrews perform those critical missions safely and reliably.’

Donaldson is the first manufacturer to offer dry media filtration for helicopter engines. The company has delivered more than 600 IBF systems for US Army Black Hawk helicopters, and its IBF systems are also standard on army special operations Boeing MH/AH-6 Little Birds and Bell OH-58D/F Kiowa Warriors, and Donaldson recently delivered 75 additional OH-58 kits. The company also has been selected by Pratt & Whitney AeroPower to provide factory-installed filtration solutions for H-60 auxiliary power units.