$41.4M in AMCM Common Consoles, Engineering for MH-60S

MH-60S w. AQS-20(click to view full) The UIS Navy recently issued a pair of contracts related to specialized versions of the MH-60S Knighthawk. The contracts cover Common Console technology insertion by Lockheed Martin, and engineering design efforts from United Technologies subsidiary Sikorsky. AMCM? Common console? All part of the US Navy’s new helicopter platform, and new focus on littoral warfare. The Sikorksy MH-60S AMCM derivative stands for Airborne Mine Counter-Measures. If the USA plans to operate more often in littoral regions near shore and in shallower waters, mines become a much more prominent threat – and organic airborne mine defense for carrier and expeditionary strike groups becomes a much more urgent priority. Hence the need for helicopters that can quickly be converted to AMCM roles, additional options like UUV and USV drones, improved anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and reconfigurable combat vessels like the USA’s new Littoral Combat Ships. AMCM adds an operator’s station to the MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter cabin, plus additional internal fuel stores, towing capability, and AMCM – a suite of five integrated but different air, surface and sub-surface mine countermeasures systems that can be mixed and matched. The Contracts AMCM Components(click to view full) Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego in […]