US Army and Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky Sign $2.3 Billion Contract for Black Hawk Helicopters
WASHINGTON: The US Army, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky, has recently finalized a five-year production contract for the procurement of 120 H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, totaling an estimated value of $2.3 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, the US Army retains the option to acquire an additional 135 helicopters, which could potentially elevate the overall contract worth to $4.4 billion for a grand total of 255 helicopters. This announcement was made by the Program Executive Office Aviation on Monday.
Colonel Calvin Lane, the Utility Helicopters project manager, emphasized, “This Multi-Year agreement allows the Army to meet current and future capability needs through upgrades, remanufacturing, replacement, and technology insertions. The efficiencies of this contract make the best use of limited resources and result in direct savings to the Army and to taxpayers.”
Commencing in July, the initial deliveries are scheduled to continue through 2027. Sikorsky will provide UH-60 and HH-60 MEDEVAC M model Black Hawks, which offer heightened situational awareness, improved payload capacity, and extended range compared to previous models.
This marks the tenth multi-year production contract that the Army has established with Sikorsky. While the service’s announcement highlights the “significant savings over year-to-year contracts,” specific figures were not disclosed.
The actual number of helicopters procured will be determined based on funding specifications finalized by Congress, according to the release. In its fiscal 2023 budget request, the Army had sought funding for 25 UH-60 Black Hawks. With over 2,100 Black Hawks already in its fleet, the Army plans to operate these helicopters for many more years to come. Sikorsky officials had shared that the production line in Stratford, Conn. would see the completion of the 5,000th Black Hawk this year.
Nathalie Previte, vice president of Sikorsky’s Army and Air Force programs, highlighted, “Decades of Black Hawk production and enhancements, strong program execution, and close partnership with the Army has 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.”
As part of its future vertical lift portfolio, the Army aims to modernize its helicopter fleet, including replacing the Black Hawk with the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The FLRAA is one of the top 35 modernization priorities and is designed to have greater range and speed than the Black Hawk, geared toward addressing near-peer competition with Russia and China. Sikorsky is submitting its definitive X helicopter for the competition.
While the Army intends to award the FLRAA contract in September, the initial FLRAA deliveries are not projected until around 2030. Consequently, the Black Hawk will remain a pivotal aircraft within the Army’s aviation fleet for years to come.
