WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. 13 Jan. 2009. – Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Integrated Avionics System (IAS) flies in UH-1Y Huey helicopters, which are scheduled for initial deployment early in 2009 with 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The UH-1Y's IAS provides the helicopter with an interoperable glass cockpit and an avionics system, integrated by Northrop Grumman. Critical mission data is available to the pilot and co-pilot on the four displays, thereby reducing workload, eliminating delays, and increasing aircrew situational awareness. The glass cockpit is anchored by two of the company's open systems architecture mission computers, which enable easy system upgrades as new technology is developed.
Part of the H-1 Upgrades program, the Marine Corps' UH-1Y Huey, replaces the aging UH-1N Huey that is currently fielded and in combat. According to program officials the UH-1Y doubles the range and payload of the UH-1N and provides significant improvements in maintainability and reliability, and its 84 percent commonality of parts with the AH-1Z reduces lifecycle costs by decreasing the aircraft's logistics footprint for both aircraft. The total program requirement for the UH-1Y is 100 helicopters; however the Marine Corps is requesting an additional 23 aircraft to meet its Grow the Force initiative. Delivery is expected to be complete by the end of 2016.
Northrop Grumman supported the team that achieved Initial Operational Capability on last summer demonstrating that an aircraft has met all flight requirements and that the aircraft, pilots, and air crew are ready for deployment. The pilots and crew had worked with the aircraft for a year at a Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 before they were assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to prepare for this deployment.
"The UH-1Y program team surmounted the challenges presented by all new military platforms," says Ike Song, vice president of Northrop Grumman Navigation System Division's situational awareness systems business. "Northrop Grumman's close work with its industrial teammates and the Marine Corps and Naval Air Systems Command users helped meet those challenges and deliver the helicopters for the fleet deployment."
Northrop Grumman is part of an industry team that is led by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., which manufactures the helicopter, and includes Thales and FLIR Systems Inc. Northrop Grumman personnel worked closely with Bell Helicopter and government team members from the Naval Air Systems Command's H-1 Program Office in Patuxent River, Md., and the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, Calif..
