# Airframe Enhancements For Launched Effects Development/NRE

**R-2A activity** of project ES3 — Blackhawk Product Improvement Program  
**Program element:** 0607136A — Blackhawk Product Improvement Program  
**Component:** U.S. Army · **Budget Activity:** 7  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0607136A/ES3/a2  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0607136A

## Summary

This activity requests $14.2M in FY2027, 40% of project ES3, up 8.4% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2025–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** The Airframe Enhancements for Launched Effects Development will align with Congressional Intent and current Utility Helicopter Project Office (UHPO) requirements by focusing on the sensitivity analysis and design. This analysis will evaluate the overall design space for aircraft changes that will optimize aircraft Design Gross Weight (DGW) around future growth provisions, including envisioned technology insertion and Launched Effects (LE). This funding will continue to push the design efforts closer to Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) for the H-60M platform. The airframe structural enhancements effort is being accomplished in conjunction with the digital backbone in support of H-60 modernization and includes a sensitivity analysis to understand key drivers for modernization capabilities and integration with legacy components within the aircraft.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY2026 to FY2027 Funding increased due to continued development and integration of the modular nose upgrade, 24.5K structural enhancements, LE wing, and fuel cell expansion.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** The Airframe Enhancements for Launched Effects Development will align with Congressional Intent and current Utility Helicopter Project Office (UHPO) requirements by focusing on the sensitivity analysis and design. This analysis will evaluate the overall design space for aircraft changes that will optimize aircraft Design Gross Weight (DGW) around future growth provisions, including envisioned technology insertion and Launched Effects (LE). This funding will continue to push the design efforts closer to Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) for the H-60M platform. The airframe structural enhancements effort is being accomplished in conjunction with the digital backbone in support of H-60 modernization and includes a sensitivity analysis to understand key drivers for modernization capabilities and integration with legacy components within the aircraft.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** The Airframe Enhancements for Launched Effects Development will align with Congressional Intent and current Utility Helicopter Project Office (UHPO) requirements by focusing on the sensitivity analysis and design. This analysis will evaluate the overall design space for aircraft changes that will optimize aircraft Design Gross Weight (DGW) around future growth provisions, including envisioned technology insertion and Launched Effects (LE). This funding will continue to push the design efforts closer to Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) for the H-60M platform. The airframe structural enhancements effort is being accomplished in conjunction with the digital backbone in support of H-60 modernization and includes a sensitivity analysis to understand key drivers for modernization capabilities and integration with legacy components within the aircraft.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 16.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 13.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 14.2 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project ES3

- [Digital Backbone](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0607136A/ES3/a1) — FY2027 19.9
- Programmatic Support — FY2027 1.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0607136A project ES3 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*