The contract, valued at more than US$2.2 billion, provides for the purchase of 120 H-60M Black Hawk helicopters, including options for an additional 135 units.
According to the US Department of Defense publication, the contract is multi-year and firm-fixed-price, and includes the aircraft and the logistics support ecosystem. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2027.
Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky reports that this is the 10th contract awarded by the U.S. Army for the purchase of H-60 family helicopters.
With more than 2,100 H-60 variants in the US Army’s inventory, the Black Hawk remains the workhorse and backbone of US Army aviation. As the US Army continues to develop its Futura Vertical Lift (FVL) programs – in which the company competes with its Raider X and SB-1 Defiant – they will continue to operate the H-60M for decades to come and alongside its future replacements.
See also: SB-1 Defiant successfully performs flight tests with an operational profile
«This Multi-Year agreement allows the Army to meet current and future capability needs through upgrades, remanufacturing, replacement, and technology insertions,» said Col. Calvin Lane, the Utility Helicopters project manager. «The efficiencies of this contract make the best use of limited resources and result in direct savings to the Army and to taxpayers».
The company also notes that the contracted helicopters will be delivered both to the U.S. Army and for foreign customers, sold under FMS (Foreign Military Sales).
Should the options to purchase additional helicopters be fully exercised, the value of the contract could potentially be worth up to $4.4 billion.
The H-60M Black Hawk variant, is the US Army’s primary multi-mission combat utility helicopter. It provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, active vibration control, increased producibility, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, and greater survivability than previous versions.
