The US Navy has awarded a contract to Goodrich subsidiary Simmonds Precision Products for the supply of health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) for use on some of its helicopters.
The $10m contract will run until March 2014 and the company will deliver 120 HUMS to the US Navy, as well as to Australia under a foreign military sale (FMS) programme in this period.
Goodrich senior vice president of Washington operations Bill Lennox said: "This programme started years ago with a strong vision from the navy to reduce their fleet operating cost and improve safety and readiness."
During the early stages of the programme, Lennox added that senator Patrick Leahy, a senior member of the US Defense Department’s budget committee, had supported the navy by keeping the programme funded.
The Goodrich-built HUMS diagnostic system has been designed to provide essential feedback on components, such as the helicopter’s engine and structural performance and rotor wear, which will allow military mechanics to tune up the aircraft before it encounters potential major systems failure.
As well as increasing safety and enhancing operational readiness, the systems will allow the service to save money by retaining helicopters through routine maintenance rather than taking them out of service.
Earlier this year, Goodrich was also awarded a $10m contract by the US Army to provide 80 HUMS units, currently being produced at the company’s Vergennes plant.
Senator Leahy added: "These back-to-back contracts, including sales to US allies, show how an earmark can become a crucial programme of record that delivers for our national security and the safety of those who serve."
