- â–º Rockwell Collins awarded $95,728,892 contract for UH-60M Black Hawk Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite support.
- â–º Contract type includes cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price elements.
- â–º Work locations and funding will be determined with each individual order.
- â–º Estimated completion date is February 24, 2031.
- ► Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal is the contracting activity.
US Army Advances UH-60M Black Hawk Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite Sustainment
The UH-60M Black Hawk Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite is set to receive long-term sustainment support under a new $95.7 million US Army contract awarded to Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The award, valued at $95,728,892, covers acquisition of support services and incidental materials tied to the avionics suite installed on the Army’s UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The contract structure combines cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price elements, reflecting both service-based and material procurement components.
According to the Department of Defense contract announcement, bids were solicited via the internet with one offer received. The estimated completion date is February 24, 2031. The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is managing the contract under number W58RGZ-26-D-0027.
Sustainment Focus For A High-Demand Fleet
The UH-60M Black Hawk Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite is central to cockpit operations in the Army’s modernized Black Hawk fleet. The system integrates flight data, navigation, engine performance, and mission information into digital displays, reducing pilot workload and improving situational awareness.
The UH-60M variant, built by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, represents the latest production configuration of the Black Hawk platform. It features upgraded engines, improved survivability systems, and a digital glass cockpit architecture. The Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite is a core element of that architecture.
Sustainment contracts of this type are critical to fleet readiness. Unlike new production awards, these agreements ensure that fielded aircraft maintain operational availability over extended service lives. With thousands of flight hours logged annually across training, domestic operations, and overseas deployments, avionics reliability directly affects mission readiness rates.
Contract Structure And Execution
The hybrid contract model suggests flexibility. Cost-plus-fixed-fee arrangements are often used for services where scope can evolve, such as engineering support or troubleshooting. Firm-fixed-price components typically apply to defined material deliveries.
Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, indicating an indefinite-delivery structure rather than a single-site execution plan. This approach allows the Army to allocate funds incrementally based on operational demand and maintenance cycles.
Only one bid was received, a common outcome in highly specialized avionics sustainment efforts where the original equipment manufacturer or system integrator maintains proprietary knowledge and technical data.
Strategic Context: Modernization And Lifecycle Management
The UH-60M Black Hawk Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite contract aligns with the Army’s broader aviation modernization strategy. While next-generation programs such as Future Vertical Lift advance, the Black Hawk remains a backbone platform for air assault, medical evacuation, command and control, and logistics missions.
According to US Army aviation planning documents and Congressional budget materials, the service intends to sustain and incrementally upgrade the Black Hawk fleet well into the 2030s. That makes avionics support agreements strategically significant.
Lifecycle sustainment now accounts for a substantial share of defense aviation spending. Maintaining existing fleets at high readiness levels often delivers more immediate operational impact than introducing limited numbers of new aircraft.
From an industrial base perspective, long-term contracts such as this one help stabilize supplier networks and preserve technical expertise in military avionics integration. Redstone Arsenal continues to serve as a central hub for Army aviation procurement and lifecycle management.
Why The Avionics Suite Matters
The Multi-Functional Display Avionics Suite supports:
- Real-time flight instrumentation
- Digital map integration
- System health monitoring
- Mission data presentation
In contested or complex operational environments, integrated digital displays enable faster decision-making and improved coordination between pilots and ground units. As threats evolve, software updates and hardware sustainment become essential to maintaining compatibility with emerging communication and navigation standards.
By extending support through 2031, the Army signals continued reliance
Get real time update about this post category directly on your device, subscribe now.
