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News | Nov. 9, 2016

DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft delivers 1,000th Black Hawk to Army

By Tonya Johnson DCMA Public Affairs

STRATFORD, Conn., Nov. 9, 2016 — The Defense Contract Management Agency wants to make sure Black Hawk helicopter pilots have the safest aircraft needed to accomplish their mission around the world.

On Oct. 13, DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft based here held a ceremony to celebrate its 1,000th Black Hawk delivery to the Army.

“DCMA Sikorsky has been delegated a series of contract administration functions to ensure a quality, cost effective product is delivered on time to the Army,” said Army Maj. Robert Massey, a deputy program integrator for the UH-60M Black Hawk. “Production and delivery of the 1,000th helicopter demonstrates not only the volume of work that DCMA Sikorsky has managed to the Army’s benefit, but the delivery of these helicopters has increased the Army’s aviation capabilities with a more powerful, capable and survivable airframe.”

The ceremony was attended by senior leaders from industry, the Department of Defense and civic leaders from Connecticut. Some of the attendees included Dan Schultz, president of Sikorsky; Gov. Dannel Malloy; Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Rosa DeLauro. Senior leaders from DoD included Army Brig. Gen. Robert Marion, program executive officer for Aviation; Army Col. William Jackson, Utility Helicopter Program Office program manager; and Marine Col. Jack Perrin, DCMA Sikorsky’s commander.

The highlight of the ceremony was the passing of the helicopter logbook for the 1,000th Black Hawk from Shultz to Perrin, and then to Jackson, formally transferring possession of the helicopter from Sikorsky through DCMA and to the Army.

Perrin said he is proud of his team for the major milestone.

“DCMA Sikorsky is a motivated, highly professional team that makes its mission to provide the Army with the best product in the world,” Perrin said. “We work with Sikorsky Aircraft to ensure the on-time quality for each and every product they produce. This is evident in the achievement of the 1000th Black Hawk delivery.

“We, at DCMA Sikorsky, take pride in being a small part of that success,” he added. “The DCMA one team, one voice vision guides us to our values of integrity, service and excellence. The DCMA Sikorsky Black Hawk team has exemplified that with this milestone in the program.”

In late September, Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Tobin, who is a Black Hawk pilot and has been with the agency for a year as a deputy program integrator, completed the Government Flight Acceptance test on the aircraft, which is a medevac helicopter. The helicopter was later delivered to the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Hood, Texas.

Tobin, who is one of the Army’s senior subject matter experts for the Black Hawk and one of four Army warrant officers involved with the program with DCMA, is responsible for ensuring a quality helicopter is delivered to the Army.

“It is an honor to be at DCMA Sikorsky for this milestone,” said Tobin. “This is the pinnacle event in my career and one that I will enjoy looking back on when I am no longer wearing the uniform. I have been flying helicopters since 2002. The Black Hawk is a workhorse for the Army and is a proven combat machine that brings home the American warfighter daily and prosecutes targets on the battlefield in the most austere conditions on earth. The 1,000th Black Hawk is a testament to American aerospace engineering, quality and durability.”

Tobin noted it’s important for others to realize that the DCMA Sikorsky team is made up of many employees who work in different capacities to make sure customers get the aircraft they need.

“I am one of two deputy program integrators for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter program valued at over $6.6 billion,” said Tobin. “I am responsible for the delivery of combat-ready aircraft to the warfighter. I assist in the direction of two multi-functional program support teams totaling 39 civilian and military personnel that provide contracting, manufacturing, quality and engineering support. Our team is responsible for delivering aircraft to the Army that meet or exceed all performance, cost and schedule requirements of the contract.”

According to Tobin, the Black Hawk remains a multipurpose tool and asset to mission accomplishment.

“The Black Hawk is the most versatile airframe in the Army’s inventory,” said Tobin. “The UH in UH-60 stands for utility helicopter as the helicopter can perform under several mission profiles. Among its many capabilities, the Black Hawk is capable of performing air assaults, troop transport, internal load missions, external load missions, firefighting and medical evacuations.”

Tobin said DCMA Sikorsky provides contract oversight for a variety of aircraft for the military. In addition to the Black Hawk, the contract management office has oversight over the Navy’s Seahawk helicopter, Combat Rescue Helicopter for the Air Force, and the King Stallion and presidential helicopters for the Marine Corps.

Massey said the milestone and ceremony highlights the solid partnership between DCMA and the Army. He said Army customers thank DCMA for ensuring a quality aircraft is delivered and for meeting contract requirements.

“The contract calls for approximately 12 to 13 deliveries per month,” said Massey. “To match this pace, DCMA brings together the collective talents of engineers, quality assurance specialists, industrial specialists and program integrators to ensure the contract meets cost, schedule and performance requirements.

“DCMA is also credited for being the last line of defense in preventing a non-conforming product from being fielded to the warfighter,” added Massey. “The attention to detail, work ethic and expertise of DCMA Sikorsky ensures a smooth operating contract. Working through supply shortages, facility moves, safety issues, and the ever changing business landscape, DCMA Sikorsky ensures contract performance, works to reduce program risk and serves as the eyes and ears of the customer at the contractor’s facility. We’re proud of what we do.”