“It’s an exciting and unprecedented opportunity to have access to the newest air frame in the U.S. Army’s fleet. It’s exciting being on the leading and cutting edge of aviation. The M model has really set us up as a state and a National Guard entity to continue to lead the way and be on par with active duty counterparts.” -Lieutenant Colonel Nicole Washington, 1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion commander

Brand new UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters line the tarmac on Gowen Field. Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 13JAN2022.

Idaho Army National Guard’s 1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion has completed the transition to the new UH-60M.  As of January 2022, Idaho now has 20 of the newest Black Hawk.

Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 13JAN2022.

Pilots says the UH-60M is a long distance runner; crews don’t feel as exhausted after an all day mission, compared to the older Black Hawks, because for one thing the UH-60M has less vibration. Improvements include stiffer rotary wings for more lifting power, a new airframe, more powerful engines and advanced digital avionics inside the enlarged ‘glass’ instrument panel, being able to track yourself in relation to enemy/friendly forces, etc.

Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 13JAN2022.

Idaho’s 1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion has already put to use the UH-60M, last year they dumped more than 200-thousand gallons of water on forest fires in the Northern part of The Gem State.

Idaho National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 13JAN2022.

The 1-183rd AHB flew the AH-64A Apache for almost 20 years before transitioning to the AH-64D Longbow model in 2012, and then to the UH-60A/L Black Hawk through 2016-2018.  In 2019 they went through UH-60M training. The unit received its first UH-60M on Gowen Field in June 2020 and flew the remaining 19 airframes back from New Jersey to Boise since then.  On 16JAN2022, the last two of a total of 20 UH-60Ms arrived on Gowen Field.

“Combined with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s modernized armor equipment, the Idaho Army National Guard is one of the most modernized states in the Army National Guard. Modernized equipment enhances our capability to be interoperable with our active duty peers.”-Brigadier General Farin Schwartz, commander of the Idaho Army National Guard

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Private First Class Jessica L. Pauley, 31JUL2016.

The first time the Idaho/Oregon/Montana Army National Guard experienced the UH-60M was while taking part in NATO wargames in Romania, in 2016: BRAND NEW BLACK HAWKS: CANUCKS JOIN SNAKE RIVER MILITIA, AIR ASSAULT MOVE TO CONTACT, ROMANIA!

New Cold War: IDAHO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD MEDEVACS WOUNDED FROM GOWEN FIELD!

Disaster 2021: Idaho Army National Guard UH-60 & UH-72 rescue Boise fire fighters from raging rapids…..truck trailer?

IDAHO BLACK HAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, YOU PAID FOR IT!