USCG’s MH-60T SLEP moves to next phase

The US Coast Guard’s (USCG) MH-60T Jayhawk Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) has received approval from the US Department of Homeland Security to proceed to the next acquisition phase, the agency announced on 20 March.

This approval allows the programme to move ahead with analysing options for keeping the service’s medium range recovery helicopter fleet operational through the mid-2030s, until it is replaced under the Department of Defense’s Future Vertical Lift initiative.

The USCG is examining two options for the service life extension work. The first is to replace the existing fleet with low-flight-hour navy HH-60H and SH-60F Seahawk hulls after structurally converting them into the MH-60T configuration.

The second option is to replace parts in the USCG’s current MH-60Ts to extend each helicopter’s service life by another 10,000 flight hours.

Following the conversion of four navy helicopters, the programme’s next steps are to conduct an engineering analysis to inform the alternatives analysis and decide the more resource-efficient course of action, and begin developing the programme life cycle cost estimate.

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