III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 663 

Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the first delivery of the Sikorsky UH– 

60 Black Hawk helicopter to the Army. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 1 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 28), 2018 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Mr. MURPHY, Ms. WARREN, and Mr. NELSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the first delivery of 

the Sikorsky UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter to the Army. 

Whereas, on March 5, 1923, Sikorsky was founded by aircraft engineer Igor Sikorsky, an immigrant to the United 

States who was born in Kiev, Ukraine; 

Whereas, in 1955, Sikorsky opened its doors in Stratford, 

Connecticut; 

Whereas the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter was designed to 

be the primary medium-lift helicopter for the Army, with 

revolutionary design features for combat helicopters, including— 

(1) the ability to absorb high-impact velocities by 

means of— 

(A) a self-sealing fuel system; 


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•SRES 663 IS 

(B) crash-resistant stroking crew seats; and 

(C) high energy-absorbing landing gear; 

(2) low detectability; 

(3) highly capable nap-of-the-earth flight; 

(4) tolerance to small arms fire up to medium-caliber projectiles; 

(5) hardened flight controls; and 

(6) redundant avionics and hydraulic systems; 

Whereas the primary mission of the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter is as a troop carrier and a logistical support aircraft for air assault missions, but the aircraft may be 

outfitted to execute medical and casualty evacuation, 

search and rescue, command and control, armed escort, 

electronic warfare, external lift, firefighting, and executive transport or VIP missions; 

Whereas, on October 31, 1978, the first production UH–60 

Black Hawk helicopter was delivered to the Army, and 

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of that historic event; 

Whereas, beginning in 1976 and ending in 1989, the UH– 

60A model Black Hawk was in uninterrupted production; 

Whereas the UH–60A model Black Hawk was replaced at the 

end of the 1980s by the more powerful UH–60L model 

Black Hawk, which was replaced by the even more advanced UH–60M model Black Hawk in 2007; 

Whereas, since 1978, Sikorsky has delivered more than 2,300 

UH–60 Black Hawk helicopters to the Army, making the 

UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter the backbone of Army 

aviation; 

Whereas, as of April 2018, more than 4,000 H–60 Black 

Hawk helicopters of all models are in service worldwide 


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•SRES 663 IS 

in all branches of the Armed Forces and the armed 

forces of 28 other countries; 

Whereas, as of April 2018, UH–60 Black Hawk helicopters 

have flown nearly 10,000,000 flight hours, more than 

2,000,000 of which have been in combat; 

Whereas the 1,000th UH–60M model Black Hawk helicopter 

will be delivered in October 2018, which highlights the 

importance that warfighters of the United States place in 

this venerable aircraft; 

Whereas, for 40 years since 1978, the remarkable UH–60 

Black Hawk helicopter has— 

(1) fought its way in and out of countless combat 

zones to deliver and extract troops; 

(2) saved thousands of lives as a medical or casualty 

evacuation platform; 

(3) provided critical supplies to troops; 

(4) delivered emergency supplies during natural disasters and humanitarian crises; and 

(5) performed as an aerial firefighter and border 

patroller; 

Whereas approximately 4,000 workers in the United States 

support the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter program, including in roles of final assembly, paint, engineering, finance, program management, and contracts; 

Whereas the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter program has significant presence throughout the United States, including 

in the States of Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, 

Texas, and Virginia and; 

Whereas Sikorsky is committed to the modernization and 

sustainment of the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter proVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:56 Oct 01, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR663.IS SR663

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•SRES 663 IS 

gram since the Army plans to operate the UH–60M 

Black Hawk helicopter into the 2070s: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the 40th anniversary of the first 

3 delivery of the Sikorsky UH–60 Black Hawk heli4 copter to the Army; 

5 (2) commends Sikorsky for its commitment 

6 to— 

7 (A) developing premier rotorcraft such as 

8 the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter; and 

9 (B) the modernization and sustainment of 

10 the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter into the 

11 2070s; and 

12 (3) pledges robust and continued congressional 

13 support for the UH–60 Black Hawk helicopter. 

Æ 


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