Lockheed Martin is demonstrating the versatility of the U.S. Navy’s Seahawk helicopter, for which the company installs and integrates the avionics equipment, as well as the sensor systems. On delivery of the airframe from Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin undertakes the extensive equipment installation that over the years has been progressively updated.

Indeed, responding to a U.S. Navy helicopter master plan, Lockheed Martin undertook the development of a common cockpit that meets all the operational needs for both the H-60R and H-60S Seahawk models. The effectiveness of the consolidation seems apparent from a demonstration on the Lockheed Martin stand (E636), where two display monitors provide a pilot’s view of both an instrument display and the outside world.

Lockheed Martin’s avionics solution to the common cockpit requirement is based on open architecture and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, the avionics suite allowing the pilot, co-pilot and sensor operator to seamlessly prosecute the mission via dual flight and mission instrumentation. Increased safety and pilot versatility, as well as reduced ownership costs and training requirements, also come from the state-of-the art avionics.

A model of an MH-60R near the avionics display serves to emphasize the versatility of the Seahawk in terms of weapons and search capabilities.

The enhanced multi-mission sensors include an improved APS-147 multi-mode radar with long/short range search, navigation and inverse synthetic radar (ISAR) imaging and periscope detection, an integrated AN/AAS-44C FLIR system for expanded night vision and a Hellfire missile targeting capability.

For anti-ship and anti-submarine tasks, the MH-60R carries an integrated AQS-22 airborne low frequency sonar with expanded littoral and deep-water carrier support, dipping sonar and sonobuoy capability.