Sikorsky recently delivered an S-70i Black Hawk helicopter to Jalisco, the first state government in Mexico to acquire the newest variant of the military utility aircraft, according to a company release.
Jalisco state police will use the aircraft for general law enforcement. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies [UTX].
Designed for the international market, S-70i Black Hawk helicopters are manufactured at Sikorsky’s production facility in Mielec, Poland. The delivery to Jalisco marks the fourth successful export of an S-70i aircraft from PZL Mielec in the last 60 days.
The S-70i helicopter is the 20th Black Hawk aircraft now operational in Mexico. Sikorsky expects to deliver another three UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft to the Federal Police by early 2012.
“The delivery to the State of Jalisco of this exceptional and unique S-70i Black Hawk product highlights the fact that we are witnessing the growth of a new generation of internationally built Black Hawk helicopters, built in Poland and ready to serve world markets,” said Janusz Zakrecki, CEO of PZL Mielec.
The S-70i aircraft delivers the same power and lift performance as UH-60M BLACK HAWK aircraft, which are operated in large numbers by the U.S. Army. The S-70i utility aircraft version can typically weigh between 800 and 1,000 lbs. lighter than the fully equipped UH60M aircraft, providing increased speed and performance for the end user.