It's Time To Start Preparing For "Graduation"

The H-1 Upgrades program here achieved yet another major testing milestone recently with the achievement of 2,500 mishap-free flight-test hours for the upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Z.

Coming as the program is rapidly bringing the system development and demonstration phase to close and preparing for the "graduation exercise" of operational evaluation this summer, the milestone reflects the success of the program to date and what's in store for the Fleet Marine Force.

"Proving their expanded capability to fight in extreme conditions like snow, cold and hot weather, high altitude, dust and desert, these aircraft are on track for a successful OpEval this summer and beginning of full-rate production," said Maj. Dave Thompson, the H-1 program's engineering and manufacturing development IPT military lead and a UH-1N pilot.

"The capabilities demonstrated by the aircraft are really exciting," he added. "Especially the UH-1Y -- what a huge improvement over the UH-1N."

The program recently received positive feedback from an operational assessment by Fleet pilots and crews. Operational assessments provide more of a quick check during development. More definitive findings will be a part of this summer's operational evaluation. 

Weapons testing in Arizona, meanwhile, included initial testing of the AH-1Z's ability to perform its primary mission - close air support. During the four-month weapons accuracy test, the aircraft fired nearly 800 Mk-66 2.75" rockets at air speeds ranging from 60 to 200 knots, five AGM-114 "Hellfire" anti-armor missiles, three AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles and approximately 3,000 rounds of 20mm ammunition from its M-197 automatic gun. 

The UH-1Y has successfully fired approximately 400 2.75-inch rockets, 12,800 rounds of machine gun ammunition, 136 flares, 104 chaff canisters and 104 decoys on nearly 40 test flights.

"This milestone is a direct result of the diligence exercised by the test team in its safe and deliberate execution of a solid test plan," said Lt. Col. David Anderson, H-1 assistant program manager for systems engineering. "Achieving 2,500 flight test hours in approximately four years shows us the inherent robustness of the platform and the program-wide professionalism behind the success."

After remanufacture, the H-1 Upgrades aircraft will feature the latest technology in rotor and drive train design, avionics, sensors and weapons. They also share approximately 84 percent of their parts, making them far more maintainable, supportable, survivable and deployable than today's H-1 aircraft.

"The Fleet's going to love these aircraft," Anderson said.

By 2014, the Marine Corps will have procured 100 UH-1Y Hueys and 180 AH-1Z Super Cobras.

FMI: www.navy.mil