Grand Ledge, Mich.-The Michigan National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility #1, located on Wright Rd. in Grand Ledge will welcome new Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters at 10 a.m., Dec. 12. Seating for the ceremony will be provided in bays 1 and 2, and two new helicopters will be on display in bays 3 and 4.

The UH-60M is an upgrade from the combat-proven UH-60 model. The U.S. Army plans to modernize up to 1,200 existing UH-60 helicopters to the M configuration over the next 20 years and as it does so the National Guard will stay in step in order to provide seamless capabilities during joint missions. The cost of the upgrade to each helicopter is approximately $1.73 million.

The "Mike" model features improved payload, new digital cockpit displays, a strengthened fuselage, more lift than the UH-60A model, and more powerful engines. The Mike models also feature lower maintenance costs than the current fleet. Michigan National Guard missions using the UH-60 aircraft include:

• Fighting the Sleeper Lake fires in the Upper Peninsula. Crews logged nearly 500 flight hours assisting with the mission.
• Providing 24-hour support of former President Gerald R. Ford's funeral with aviation assets.
• Assisting with food delivery and rescue missions; Hurricane Katrina and Ike.
• Direct support for task force missions in both Bosnia and Kosovo and,
• Security support for the presidential campaign of George W. Bush in 2000.

Today, approximately 1,700 Michigan National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are deployed across the globe in support of the global war on terrorism; however, as the Michigan Guard serves the nation abroad, more than 85 percent of the force remains available, trained and ready to respond to a state emergency including a terrorist event.

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