Global Aviation Solutions will help modernize the Austrian military’s fleet of Black Hawk helicopters.
In June, the Huntsville-based company won an avionics contract worth more than $40 million to equip the helicopters with a new avionics system. The commercial sale contract — with the Republic of Austria Federal Ministry of Defense and Sport — covers the design, manufacture, installation and test of a new avionics system for nine Austrian S-70A-42 Black Hawk helicopters.
The work will be performed at Global Aviation headquarters in Huntsville and at its new hanger facilities in Guntersville. All work on the contract should be complete by the third quarter of 2020.
Global Aviation CEO Darrell Kindley said the Austrian Armed Forces would be buying a Garmin G5000H-based avionics upgrade kit called the ACEHAWK. It offers an integrated flight deck and the tactical military grade agility of the Avalex Technologies Cockpit Management Unit and Digital Mapping System. Included are tactical radios, tactical map, mission planning, survivability equipment and the Thales day/night Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display. “This avionics modernization program will keep the Austrian Black Hawks supportable for another 20 years, ” Kindley says.
Text by Dave Helms
