• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Supply Dual-Function Avionics Maintenance Trainer for MH-60S and MH-60R Helicopters

OWEGO, NY, February 11th, 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has been awarded a $10.9 million contract to supply the U.S. Navy with a dual-function Avionics Maintenance Trainer (AMT 2) for repair technicians servicing MH-60S and MH-60R multimission helicopters.

The AMT 2, to be located at the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, CA., will enable service technicians to practice troubleshooting and repairs under conditions that closely simulate those of an actual MH-60 aircraft. The AMT 2 is to be in service by August 2005.

The trainer consists of a partial MH-60 helicopter airframe outfitted with a combination of real and simulated avionics hardware. An instructor at a workstation outside the airframe can trigger avionics system faults that the technicians must find and correct.

"The AMT 2 will help the Navy fulfill its objective of maintaining readiness and maximizing available flight hours in the MH-60 fleet," said Jeff Bantle, vice president of Multi-Mission Solutions at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego. "Technicians working in the AMT 2 will learn avionics maintenance via a virtual duplicate of an actual MH-60S or MH-60R avionics system, which will help them to make repairs quickly and confidently in the field."

The Navy already uses a similar Avionics Maintenance Trainer (AMT 1) at North Island, but it is designed only for technician training on MH-60S helicopters. The Navy's satisfaction with that unit contributed to the decision to build the dual-function AMT 2. Eventually, the Navy plans to retrofit that unit to the dual-purpose AMT 2 configuration, according to Bantle.

The AMT 2 enables technicians to practice in conditions as near to real-life as possible without the expense of operating an actual helicopter. It simulates the MH-60 cockpit in great detail. For example, hardware component replicas are nearly indistinguishable from actual components, having the same markings, size, weight, and center of gravity. Students experience the feel of removing and working with these items within the close quarters of an actual cockpit.

The MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters are designed with a common cockpit that includes full-color, night vision device-capable, sunlight-readable displays, digital communications, common programmable key sets, fully integrated global positioning system and inertial navigation system, mass memory data storage, and integrated mission computer.

Lockheed Martin is the systems integrator for the MH-60R and provides the cockpit, which is common to all MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters. Sikorsky designs and manufactures the MH-60S and MH-60R aircraft and is responsible for the mechanical and electrical modifications on the airframe.

Janet Gottfredsen, (607) 751-2598, e-mail, janet.gottfredsen@lmco.com