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WASHINGTON — The US Army is cancelling its next generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, service officials announced today, taking a potential multi-billion-dollar contract off the table and throwing the service’s long-term aviation plans into doubt. In addition, the Army plans to end production on the UH-60 V Black Hawk in fiscal 2025, due to “significant cost growth,” keep General Electric’s Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) in the development phase instead of moving it into production, and phase the Shadow and Raven unmanned aerial systems out of the fleet, the service added. All told, it reflects a massive shift...

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Five U.S. service members were killed when a helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan, a U.S. official said early Tuesday. The chopper went down Monday in the Daman district of southern Kandahar during a rain storm, said Jawid Faisal, a government spokesman for the province. There was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the incident, according to a statement by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The U.S. official, who did not want to be identified, did not offer additional information about the victims.

(CNN) -- A Black Hawk helicopter crashed Thursday in southern Afghanistan, likely killing all four of its crew members -- all of them Americans -- a U.S. military official said. The crash occurred in bad weather, though the official said "we cannot yet rule out enemy action." Troops at a combat outpost in the area waiting to be picked up saw the crash happen, t

By almost any standard, US Army aviation has never looked in better shape. With an annual budget of $7 billion, three active production lines for manned helicopters and the Afghanistan war emphasising the value of vertical lift, the army's pocket of aviators enjoy unprecedented support. The long-term outlook for the army's aviation branch, however, is not ideal. No new combat helicopter has entered service in nearly 30 years. All three active production lines are scheduled to shut-down within the next 15 years. Fielding a new vertical lift technology could take billions of dollars and more than a decade, but the...

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. will compete jointly for the contract to replace the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of combat search and rescue helicopters. The two companies signed a teaming agreement formalizing their intent to offer an advanced version of Sikorsky’s UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter for the Air Force’s HH-60 Personnel Recovery Recapitalization program (HH-60 Recap). The agreement positions Sikorsky as prime contractor, with Lockheed Martin as the major subsystems supplier. The HH-60 Recap program seeks to replace the 112 existing HH-60G PAVE HAWK™ helicopter fleet with an equal number of new...

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq, Jan. 16, 2009 – Army aircraft maintainers with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s 4th Squadron can be called upon to find a downed aircraft anytime or anywhere in Iraq. Soldiers with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s 4th Squadron work together to rig the main rotor of an inoperative UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as they ready it for transport to a repair location. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. These maintainers are part of a Downed Aircraft Recovery Team comprising five to eight soldiers who are responsible for recovering wrecked aircraft no matter where it...

TIKRIT, Iraq – A UH-60 Blackhawk experienced an in-flight emergency which required a precautionary landing in At Ta’Mim Province, Feb. 15. The Blackhawk made a safe landing in an unsecured area while its wingman provided security and called for Coalition air and ground security forces. The Iraqi Police from the Sargaran Police District were the first to arrive on scene and immediately secured the area, allowing crew members time to troubleshoot their Blackhawk. Coalition forces said that the IP response, support, and cooperation allowed the safe evacuation of passengers and eventual safe recovery of the aircraft. “Sargaran Iraqi Police, without...

A U.S. helicopter went down northeast of Baghdad, killing all 13 people aboard, the military said Saturday.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The bodies of two American service members missing since a helicopter crash this week were found west of Baghdad, officials said Friday. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were flying in crashed in an undisclosed body of water during a routine flight in Anbar province west of the capital, and divers had been looking for the two Americans, U.S. officials said. Four others were injured in the crash, which was not believed to have been caused by hostile fire. The military did not say when or where the bodies were found. The deaths raised to 2,597 the...

Multi-National Corps – Iraq Press Release Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory APO AE 09342 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 9, 2006 Release No. 20060809-01 Coalition Force helicopter goes down in Al Anbar CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq – A U.S. Army UH – 60 Blackhawk helicopter from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing went down August 8 in Al Anbar Province with six Coalition forces on board during an area familiarization flight. The aircraft has been located. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing for two missing crewmembers. The remaining four are in stable condition. “We are using all the resources available to find our...

BALAD, Iraq, Aug. 22, 2005 — The separation during deployments can become a dangerous obstacle very quickly when it comes to marriage, but for two UH-60 Blackhawk pilots on Logistics Support Area Anaconda, deployment to Iraq has kept them together. “It feels completely wonderful to be deployed together,” said 1st Lt. Rebecca DeForest, a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot from B Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, who deployed Jan. 9 with the South Carolina National Guard. “We can share all of our experiences first hand and we can relate to our jobs and struggles and our accomplishments.” The couple almost missed...

Report says Taiwan is conducting talks to buy US choppers. NEW REQUIREMENTS: Taiwan is reportedly looking into upgrading its aging attack-helicopter fleet and has been talking to both Bell and Sikorsky. AFP , TAIPEIMonday, Aug 22, 2005,Page 3Taiwan is in talks with US companies to purchase dozens of attack and transport helicopters and upgrade the AH-1W Super Cobra attack fleet serving the army, Jane's Defence Weekly said. "Taiwan and Bell Helicopter-Textron have launched talks on co-manufacturing UH-1Y Huey light utility and AH-1Z King Cobra attack helicopters to fulfil Taipei's requirement for 35 and 30, respectively, of the aircraft," the London-based...

BRUCEVILLE-EDDY, Texas - A Black Hawk helicopter carrying seven soldiers from Fort Hood crashed Monday in central Texas after hitting a television broadcast tower guy wire, authorities said. Witnesses said they saw four bodies. The UH-60 Black Hawk, bound for Texarkana, went down in a field about 30 miles northeast of Fort Hood in foggy conditions near Interstate 35, said Dan Hassett, a base spokesman. Rock Eicke, who lives about a quarter-mile from the crash site, said he was getting ready for work about 7 a.m. when he was startled by a loud metallic rattling sound. He said he looked...

U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Iraqi City of Mosul Nov. 15 — MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S. helicopter crashed in a civilian area in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Saturday and American soldiers sealed off the area, witnesses said. A U.S. military spokesman said initial reports indicated that a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter had come down in northern Iraq and that a rapid reaction force was securing the area and investigating. There was no immediate word on casualties.

<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday near the north-central city of Tikrit, the U.S. military said. The crash came a day after Poland suffered its first combat death since the aftermath of World War II and two American soldiers died in attacks near Baghdad and along the Syrian border.</p> <p>It was not known whether the Black Hawk helicopter went down due to mechanical failure or hostile fire.</p>

World - AFP Blackhawk down in Iraq, six US soldiers killed 11 minutes ago Add World - AFP to My Yahoo! TIKRIT, Iraq (AFP) - Six US soldiers were killed when a Blackhawk helicopter was "forced down" outside a US military base near Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s hometown of Tikrit. Fri Nov 7, 8:33 AM ET A US soldier holds his pistol as he asks people to go inside during a weapons search in Fallujah. Six US soldiers were killed when a US Blackhawk helicopter was 'forced down' outside a US military base near the northern Iraqi town...

The United States military has deployed five teams of 10 airborne snipers to defend Iraq's northern oil pipelines from acts of sabotage by forces loyal to ousted president Saddam Hussein. Sergeant Brian Stinson said final modifications were being made to Blackhawk UH-60 helicopters, before snipers from the elite Tiger Force could begin patrols along the crucial oil supply lines. "There is so much area to cover that it requires precision fire, we're on call for 24-hours a day and can be airborne within 30 minutes," he said. Protection of Iraq's northern pipelines, which stretch 500 kilometres to Turkey and almost...