New MH-60T hulls for USCG

In January 2021, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) ordered 25 new MH-60T hulls from Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of Stratford (CT) to support the Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) of its fleet of 45 MH-60T Jayhawks. This order is valued at USD 207 million.

On 6 July 2021, the USCG ordered another five new MH-60T hulls valued at USD 34 million, bringing the total to thirty new hulls.

USCG MH-60s have been in service since 1990 and are reaching the end of their service life. Hull replacement is one of the components of the MH-60T sustainment programme. According to the information, the new hulls will provide 20,000 hours of additional service life.

Next to hull replacement, also main rotor blades and electrical wire harnesses will be replaced. The assembly and installation of the components on the new hulls will be completed at the Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center (CG-ALC) in Elizabeth City (NC).

It is not known yet if the new helicopters will receive new serials. But in the tradition of US armed forces, this might well be the case. To replace all MH-60T hulls, we might expect one or more follow-on orders for new hulls.

Photo by Hans van Herk