The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said it notified Congress Feb. 1 of an estimated $1.6 billion potential Foreign Military Sale to Australia of a 10-year Through- Life-Support (TLS) for 24 MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters, and associated equipment, parts, and logistical support.
The main contractors would be Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. [UTX]; Lockheed Martin [LMT]; General Electric [GE]; and Raytheon [RTN].
The sustainment effort would include spare and repair parts provisioning, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.
The proposed sale will provide Australia the resources necessary to properly maintain its 24 MH-60R helicopters. Australia already has S-70B helicopters in its inventory and would have no difficulty performing the actions necessary to properly sustain these additional helicopters.
Implementing the proposed sale would require the temporary assignment of approximately 20 U.S. government and contractor representatives to Australia on an intermittent basis over the life of the case.