A UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter will land at the Northern Michigan University campus this week. It will be on a static display from 1-3 p.m. Thursday, April 14, on the soccer fields at the corner of Wright and Lincoln Streets. Beginning at 3 p.m., it will engage in orientation flights for current military members and cadets in NMU’s Wildcat Battalion ROTC program.

The Michigan Army National Guard’s 3-238th general support aviation battalion in Grand Ledge is flying the helicopter to NMU.

“The Michigan Army National Guard had conducted an Aviation Officer Orientation Day last fall downstate; since we were not able to participate, we reached out to them concerning an orientation day here in the U.P.,” said LTC Jonathan Rastall, head of NMU’s military science department. “This event will provide a great opportunity for current military members and ROTC cadets to further explore the career opportunities Army Aviation can provide within the Michigan National Guard. Additionally, campus and community members are welcome to come and take a look at the aircraft while it’s on static display.”

Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky produces the UH-60M helicopters. According to its website, “this advanced Black Hawk aircraft serves dependably in the most extreme conditions found on earth. With the integration of the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems and automated aircraft health monitoring, the UH-60M provides superior vertical lift and is the ‘intelligent’ choice for the battlefield of tomorrow.”