First Production UH-60V Roll-Out

US Army, October 10, 2020 - CORPUS CHRISTI ARMY DEPOT, Texas by Carla Green - The Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) released its first UH-60 Victor Black Hawk helicopter for delivery.

CCAD Commander, Colonel Joseph H. Parker hosted a formal signing ceremony immediately following a walk-around of the UH-60V Black Hawk with Chief Test Pilots, Crew Chiefs and the Director of Aircraft Production.

In a recent news release Colonel Joseph H. Parker, CCAD Commander said, “This is the first of up to 760 Black Hawks that will modernize the helicopter fleet through the Army’s recapitalization program.

They are Army built and Army owned.” CCAD’s recapitalization program reduces the costs of replacing aging helicopters with new ones and avoids spending approximately $9M in tax dollars with each rebuild.

Since its original induction as a UH-60 Lima (L model) airframe, CCAD configured this helicopter into the current UH-60 Victor (V model). The upgrade replaced analog display with a modern digital, open glass cockpit, which allows for an easy-to-use, integrated Pilot Vehicle Interface. The reconfiguration enhances safety and interoperability with other advanced aircraft currently on the battlefield.

Army built and Army owned

The ringing of the bell that was originally onboard the USNS Corpus Christi Bay signified another milestone for Army Aviation and the Depot. “The completion of this aircraft is the first step in moving the U.S. Army forward, transitioning to Future Vertical Lift.” said Colonel Joseph H. Parker, CCAD Commander. “We couldn’t be more proud.”

About CCAD: CCAD began in the early 1960s as the Army Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC) tasked with helicopter repair and maintenance for three engines and four airframes.

During that time a Navy seaplane tender ship was recommissioned by the Army as the Army’s first floating helicopter maintenance facility and named the USNS Corpus Christi Bay. In 1974, the maintenance center name was changed to Corpus Christi Army Depot, employing more than 3,300 civilian employees and serving the growing Army inventory of helicopters.

Today, CCAD is the industry’s premier helicopter repair facility completing world - class maintenance on helicopter components for the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, OH-58 Kiowa and the Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk.