Avionics upgrades to be provided to UH-60L foreign military fleets
NewsMay 15, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tennessee. ACE Aeronautics chose Ultra PCS and Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions to supply an integrated cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), and health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) for UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters operated by foreign militaries, the companies announced in a statement.
The selected system, Fortress HUMS, combines Curtiss-Wright’s crash recorder with Ultra PCS’s HUMS technology in a 13-pound unit designed for rotorcraft platforms, the statement reads. The initial contract covers 13 aircraft and includes a prototype platform, with deliveries beginning later this year and continuing through 2028.
According to the companies, Fortress HUMS supports up to 60 smart sensor channels and consolidates functions such as mechanical diagnostics, vibration analysis, engine and airframe monitoring, and flight data recording. The system is intended to reduce installation complexity, lower maintenance costs, and improve aircraft availability by enabling predictive maintenance based on real-time data.
This marks the first deployment of a combined CVR/FDR with integrated HUMS on a U.S.-built rotorcraft platform, the statement adds.
