Article Posted on : - Sep 14, 2012

Sikorsky UH-60 M Black Hawk.

STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNS): Sikorsky Aircraft will deliver the final two of 15 UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters to the US Army this month for further transfer to the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV).

All 15 aircraft will have been delivered in just 16 months, a record acquisition pace for a squadron-sized fleet of Black Hawk helicopters procured via the US Government's Foreign Military Sales programme.

The accelerated deliveries are arriving in time for the Swedish Armed Forces to deploy three aircraft to Afghanistan in 2013 in support of Sweden's commitment to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Sikorsky, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., received the 15 helicopter production order in May 2011, delivering the first aircraft to the US Army in September, and seven more by December 2011.

Sikorsky is delivering Sweden's aircraft to the US Army equipped with an advanced flight control system to reduce pilot workload, full night vision device capability for night operations, and a state-of-the-art communications suite.

The US Army is further modifying each aircraft with a variety of equipment, including an exterior rescue hoist, gunner seats, armored floor, stackable litters, a cockpit heater and environmental control system. Six modified UH-60M aircraft are currently at the Swedish Air Force base in Linköping.

Sweden is the first European country to acquire the US Army's UH-60M BLACK HAWK aircraft. Introduced into service with the US Army in 2007, the 'M' model is the latest variant of the medium-lift military utility helicopter.