Sikorsky signs deal to build 120 new Army Black Hawks

Courtesy photo Students gather around a Sikorsky Black Hawk Helicopter during 'Lockheed Martin Day' at the University of Connecticut.

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By Liese Klein

Stratford-based Sikorsky announced this week it had signed a $2.3 billion deal to build 120 new H-60 Black Hawk helicopters for the U.S. Army and other government customers – with an option for 105 more for a total of $4.4 billion.

The manufacturer, a division of Lockheed Martin, will start delivering the UH-60M Black Hawk and HH-60M MEDEVAC models in July and continue manufacturing through 2027 as part of the five-year pact.

Nathalie Previte, vice president of Sikorsky’s Army and Air Force programs, said, “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.”

The contract also allows for additional sales to foreign customers.

“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,” Previte said. “Sikorsky continues to invest in the Black Hawk platform – from sustainment to digital transformation and modernization – in order to provide our customers with the competitive edge they require.”

The Army contract is part of an incentive package approved by the Connecticut legislature in April that provides Sikorsky with up to $75 million in sales-and-use and other tax credits to keep jobs in the state.

Sikorsky’s latest contract is its tenth multiple-year deal with the U.S. government for H-60 class helicopters. The Army has more than 2,100 H-60 variants in its aircraft inventory.