US Army H-60 fleet nears 1 million flight hours in Iraq, Afghanistan
Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters flown by the US Army in the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres of war have accumulated more than 900,000 flight hours without a single material failure with the aircraft and are expected to break the 1 million fleet flight hour mark this autumn, Sikorsky Aircraft reports.
The US Army currently operates more than 300 Black Hawk helicopters combined in these two overseas contingency operations. Black Hawks have flown these missions since February 2003 and are maintaining an 84% mission capable readiness rate while operating in extreme heat, wind and sand conditions.
'This is the ultimate testament to the durability, reliability and effectiveness of the Black Hawk helicopter – to support and protect our soldiers in such withering and hostile environments, and to keep performing mission after mission and without any material failures,' said Scott Starrett, president of Sikorsky Military Systems.
The US Army’s total Black Hawk helicopter fleet exceeds 1,740 aircraft and has amassed nearly 6 million flight hours.
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