Article Posted on : - May 19, 2011

STRATFORD (BNS): Sweden will buy 15 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters from the US Government.

The US Government has agreed to sell the latest model of the Black Hawk family of medium-lift multi-role helicopters to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) through the Foreign Military Sales route.

The Swedish Armed Forces will use the aircraft for medical evacuation, utility, and search and rescue missions.

Sikorsky said it will deliver the first six helicopters in 2011 and the remaining nine in 2012 under an accelerated production schedule.

The UH-60M is the latest variant of the Black Hawk family of helicopters.

It is operated by the US Army and provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, and improved survivability compared with its predecessor, the UH-60L model.

The latest deal makes Sweden the 26th nation to operate the Black Hawk helicopters and only the second in Europe to use the latest UH-60M model. Austria operates the UH-60L models of Black Hawk.