LONDON – On June 27th, one of the most important organisations in the United States agreed to increase its fighting capabilities by signing a new five-year contract with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company for 120 H-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
This will increase the total of helicopters to 255 aircraft. This is the 10th ever contract signed between Sikorsky and the United States government.
Lockheed Martin together with its helicopter arm, Sikorsky never fails to impress the world with their constant evolution of technologies and information. This is to meet the requirements of the United States army for every challenging and changing mission and challenge.
Fortunately, Sikorsky is and has always adapted to changing environment thanks to its sophisticated production, digitalised and flexible production line.
The 10th contract for the UH-60M Black Hawks and its medical evacuation variant the HH-60M is a significant milestone for both the Army and the manufacturer. There are currently over 2,100 H-60 variants in the army’s portfolio and the Black Hawk is still, and will always be the spine for the Army’s operations and support machine.
With that being said, the army is also looking into Future Vertical Lift or FVL capabilities for the army and is committed to operating alongside the Black Hawks.
The recently signed contract is valued at $2.3 billion, but could possibly balloon up to $4.4 billion should there be further options for additional helicopters. Deliveries are slated to begin this month up until 2027. This is significant for Sikorsky.
Col. Calvin Lane, the Utility Helicopters project manager, said: “This Multi-Year agreement allows the Army to meet current and future capability needs through upgrades, remanufacturing replacement, and technology insertions,”
Nathalie Previte, vice president of Sikorsky’s Army and Air Force programs, stated: “The efficiencies of this contract make the best use of limited resources and result in direct savings to the Army and to taxpayers.”
“Decades of Black Hawk production and enhancements, strong program execution and close partnership with the Army have kept the program thriving, and this contract is a testament to that success.”
“Additionally, we continue to see strong international interest in the Black Hawk due to its versatility and proven record of providing unwavering support to the U.S. and nations around the globe.”
Previte added: “Sikorsky continues to invest in the Black Hawk platform – from sustainment to digital transformation and modernization – in order to provide our customers with the competitive edge they require.”
“We have aligned our investments with the Army’s technology roadmap while leveraging Future Vertical Lift technologies to ensure the Black Hawk will be a key player in the Joint All Domain Operations environment and FVL ecosystem.”
The Black Hawk is one of the most sought-after helicopters in the military sphere for both combat and civilian missions. Apart from the United States operating this rotorcraft, it is also being used elsewhere in Europe and Asia.
