Legislative Alert #09-07: Army National Guard Black Hawk Modernization

> LEGISLATIVE ALERT #09-07
> March 25, 2009
>
> ________________________________
>
>
> The Issue: Army National Guard Black Hawk Modernization
>
> Immediate Action Required: Contact your Senators and urge them to
> sign on to
> Sen. Landrieu's letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the
> Armed
> Services and Appropriations Committees requesting additional funding
> for the
> National Guard to help modernize the National Guard H-60 Black Hawk
> fleet
>
>
> ________________________________
>
>
> The National Guard operates the oldest "A" model Black Hawks in the
> fleet.
> The average age of Army National Guard (ARNG) "A" model Black Hawks
> exceed 24
> years. When all shortages in Army National Guard formations are
> filled, more
> than 500 of the 786 Black Hawk helicopters in the ARNG will be older
> "A"
> models. "A" model Black Hawk helicopters have 1000 lbs less payload
> than
> newer "L" and "M" models, they are less effective operating at high
> altitudes, and more costly to maintain. High operational tempos in
> ARNG
> units, coupled with shortages of H-60 Black Hawks across the nation,
> are
> wearing out the National Guard H-60 fleet much faster than planned.
>
> Until last year the Army had no program in place to address the
> sustainment
> and modernization issues for the "A" model Black Hawk helicopter
> fleet.
> Thanks to the support of Congress, in April of 2008, the Army
> approved a
> program to fund UH-60A-A to UH-60L conversions at a rate of 38 per
> year over
> the next five years. However, even with this program in place, and
> with
> continued fielding of the new "M" model helicopters in accordance
> with the
> Army's plans, the Army will not divest itself of "A" model Black
> Hawks until
> 2023, when the average age of "A" model Black Hawks still flying
> will exceed
> 30 years.
>
> The ARNG wants to accelerate the pace of both the UH-60A-A to UH-60 L
> conversion and "M" model fielding to Army National Guard units. To
> facilitate
> this effort, Senator Mary Landrieu has initiated a letter to the
> Chairmen and
> Ranking Members of the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees
> requesting additional funding for the National Guard to help
> modernize the
> National Guard H-60 Black Hawk fleet. Urge your Senators to
> demonstrate their
> support for the National Guard's efforts to fund these critical
> modernization
> efforts by signing on to this letter.
>
> TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION:
>
> By using the "Write to Congress" feature on the NGAUS Web site at
> www.ngaus.org
> <http://capwiz.com/ngaus/utr/1/EVIQKDESWD/OMLSKDESYO/3097336411> ,
> you can
> immediately e-mail your Senators or Representative. A sample letter
> is
> included in our "Write to Congress" feature. You can e-mail the pre-
> written
> message or edit the sample letter as you desire. This is the
> quickest and
> most effective method of expressing your views to Congress. Also,
> contact
> your friends and family and urge them to "Write to Congress" as
> well. For
> more in-depth information and background visit our web site at: www.ngaus.org
> Please direct any questions concerning this issue to Rich Green, NGAUS
> Legislative Director at 202-408-5881 or via email: richard.green@ngaus.org
> .
>
>
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