Greece Officially Signs Contract For UH-60M Black Hawk Purchase
Lockheed Martin announced on 5 April, that the government of Greece has signed a letter of offer and acceptance for the purchase of 35 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, which will be built by Lockheed subsidiary Sikorsky.
Lockheed’s announcement of the contract signing follows Greek lawmakers’ approval of the purchase on April 2, with a Greek government source informing Reuters that the total cost of the package will be around 1.15 billion euros ($1.24 billion). While Lockheed did not provide any cost estimates, it said the procurement package would include personnel training and training equipment to “ensure the helicopters’ smooth integration into the Hellenic Army”.
In December, the United States’ State Department announced that it had approved the Foreign Military Sale of the helicopters in a package worth up to $1.95 billion, inclusive of the helicopters, training, support, spare parts and auxiliary systems.
The Hellenic Navy currently operates the S-70B and MH-60R variants of the Black Hawk redesigned for anti-submarine warfare. The Navy received its first three MH-60Rs in late February and early March, with an additional four on order.
“The latest generation UH-60M Black Hawk will support the Hellenic Ministry of Defense’s ongoing modernization and will serve as a dependable helicopter for vital national and allied security missions,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky. “Trusted and operated by more than 35 nations, including a growing number of NATO allies, the multi-role Black Hawk helicopter provides unmatched global interoperability, significantly increasing Greece’s deterrent capability and that of all NATO member countries.”
“We are honored to expand our existing partnership with the Hellenic Armed Forces with the addition of the UH-60M Black Hawk to their growing fleet,” said Costas Papadopoulos, international business development director for Greece at Lockheed Martin. “The Black Hawk is the best solution for Greece’s multi-mission requirements with capabilities enhancing the nation’s effectiveness in the 21st Century Security battlespace.”