UH-60L and UH-60V Black Hawk avionics are displayed at Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base, Jan. 29, 2025.
The UH-60V Black Hawk features a moving map display, real-time positional awareness, and more intuitive monitoring of engine readings versus the UH-60L’s traditional gauges.
U.S. Army National Guard graphic by Sgt. Olivia Gum.
Story by Sgt. Olivia Gum, Tennessee National Guard
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee HART (Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team) continues to strengthen its life-saving capabilities with advancements in aviation technology, including a recent upgrade to the UH-60V Black Hawk.
HART, a state-coordinated program involving the Tennessee Army National Guard and the Nashville Fire Department, provides rapid-response rescue in high-risk environments such as floods and natural disasters. The team is comprised of National Guard aircraft and aircrew while the Nashville Fire Department provides paramedics and rescue divers (rescue swimmers).
Members of Tennessee HART’s recent deployment to Elizabethton, in response to Hurricane Helene, demonstrated the team’s adaptability and effectiveness.
“We were landing in backyards, at local landmarks – places designated only by names like ‘Bob’s’ or ‘Jason’s’- to deliver aid and conduct rescues,” said Army Aviation Support Facility #1’s commander, Capt. Jayson Cooper. “Without the enhanced capabilities of these new Black Hawk models, missions like these would be significantly more challenging.”
The Tennessee National Guard HART UH-60V “Victor” model Black Hawk helicopter is a major upgrade from the UH-60L “Lima” model. This modernization enhances avionics, flight safety, and mission capabilities, particularly in search and rescue (SAR) operations.
Tennessee Army National Guard HART received five UH-60V aircraft from the Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas, stationing three in Nashville and two others in Jackson to support and improve HART operations.
“The new ‘Victor’ model is a major leap in technology,” said Capt. Adam McCollum, an operations officer at AASF. “The avionics in the legacy UH-60L model date back to 1979.”
“The ‘Lima‘ model has effectively zero digitization. It’s all traditional gauges with needles and painted numbers,” said McCollum. “In contrast, the ‘Victor‘ model provides a moving map display, real-time positional awareness, and more intuitive monitoring of engine readings, temperatures, and pressures.”
Previously, pilots relied on paper maps or rudimentary digital readouts that only provided heading and distance. Now, pilots can preload flight plans into the system via a removable hardware card, similar to a USB drive.
“With the moving maps, we can see our route overlaying real-world terrain, obstacles, and airspace boundaries in real time,” said McCollum. “It’s a game-changer for situational awareness.”
“I can drop a point on the ground, and the hover page function helps me stay within a ten-foot-by-ten-foot area,” said Cooper. “This level of accuracy is critical when hovering over floodwaters or confined spaces.”
The «Victor» model also significantly improves safety by reducing pilot workload and mitigating spatial disorientation, a common hazard where a pilot loses their sense of position, motion, or altitude due to conflicting sensory information.
“In the past, pilots would have to glance down at maps in their laps, increasing the risk of losing awareness of their surroundings,” said McCollum. “Now, all critical flight information is directly in front of them.”
The UH-60V also features an external hoist system, similar to those used by the U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters. “The new external hoist system is faster, easier to manage, and provides more space for rescue technicians,” said Cooper.
Lastly, the integration of Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) technology, a thermal imaging system that detects heat signatures, allows pilots to track their hoist operators from below through darkness, fog, and smoke.
“Previously, only the crew chiefs operating the hoist had visibility of the rescue operation,” said McCollum. “Now, with the FLIR camera, both pilots can monitor the process in real-time, ensuring stability and safety during extractions.»
The Tennessee HART team will utilize the UH-60V’s capabilities during annual training exercises like Tennessee Maneuvers and real-world missions across the state’s rivers, lakes, and flood-prone areas.
The process to become HART-certified is rigorous, taking up to a year to complete.
“We start with land-based hoist training before progressing to confined spaces, water operations, and ultimately, moving water rescues,” said Cooper. “Night operations, both unaided and with night vision goggles, add another layer of complexity.”
“The training is intense, but it’s necessary to ensure we can execute these missions safely and effectively,” said Cooper. “We’re often the last hope for someone in a life-or-death situation, so we have to be ready.”
With the UH-60V leading the way, the team is poised to meet the challenges of tomorrow, ensuring that no call for help goes unanswered.
“This modernization isn’t just about new helicopters – it’s about making sure we’re equipped to save lives when every second counts,” said Cooper.
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