US Navy orders support from Lockheed Martin for MH-60S Seahawk helicopter Block 3 upgrade
An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter lifts off of the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, May 2022. (Photo: USN/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin McTaggart)
Lockheed Martin will add capabilities to bring Block 1 Seahawk helicopters to the Block 3 armed configuration.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems is providing non-recurring engineering for retrofit upgrades of the Block 1 MH-60S Seahawk helicopters operated by the USN.
Under a new $11.63 million order announced on 26 July, Lockheed Martin will add ‘additional capabilities to reach parity with Block 3 aircraft’, the DoD noted.
It added: ‘These efforts include the design and develop of retrofit kits, preparation and delivery of associated technical directives, and validation/verification (Val/Ver) of the installations and instructions.’
Work will be performed in Owego, New York, and is expected to be completed in July 2024.
Block 1 Seahawks are configured for fleet logistics operations such as cargo and passenger transport, while Block 3 entails a tactical moving map display, forward-looking IR system with laser designator, crew-served side 20mm machine guns, dual-sided Hellfire air-to‑surface missiles and defensive electronic countermeasures.
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