The State Department approved a possible $110 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to Mexico for three UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on March 16.
Photo: Sikorsky
The primary contractors would be Sikorsky [UTX] and General Electric [GE].
The requested FMS would include three UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters in standard U.S. Government configuration, with designated unique equipment, Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), six T700-GE-701D Engines, six H-764G Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs), six M134 7.62mm Machine Guns, three Star Safire III Forward Looking Infrared Radar Systems, three Aviation Mission Planning Systems, 12 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles, and one Aviation Ground Power Unit.
The contract would also include spare and repair parts, support equipment, communication equipment, facility construction, air worthiness support, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, warranties, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related element of logistics and program support.
Mexico intends to use the defense equipment to modernize its armed forces and expand its existing naval/amaritime support in efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations.
“The sale of these UH-60M helicopters to Mexico will significantly increase and strengthen its capability to provide in-country airlift support for its forces engaged in counter-drug operations,” DSCA said in a statement.
DSCA noted this would contribute to the national security of the United States by helping improve the security of a strong partner in combating organized crime and drug trafficking organizations.
Implementation of the FMS could require the assignment of one additional U.S. government representative and one contractor representative in country full-time to support the delivery and training for about two years.