The State Department approved a possible $450 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to Slovakia for nine UH-60M Black Hawks and associated equipment, parts and logistical support.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on Feb. 18.

The primary contractors would be Sikorsky [UTX] and General Electric [GE].

The requested FMS would include nine Black Hawks in standard U.S. government configuration with designed unique equipment and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE); 20 T700-GE-701D Engines (18 installed and 2 spares); 20 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems; two Aviation Mission Planning Systems; one Aviation Ground Power Unit; 11 AN/APX-123 Identification Friend or Foe Transponders; 20 Very High Frequency (VHF)/Digitally Selective Calling AN/ARC-231 radios; 11 ARN-147 VHF Omni Ranging/Instrument Landing System (VOR/ILS); 11 AN/ARN-153 Tactical Air Navigation Systems; and 11 AN/ARC-201D Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems radios.

The sale also includes aircraft warranty, ammunition, air worthiness support, facility construction, spare and repair parts, support equipment, communication equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, site surveys, tool and test equipment, U.S. government and contractor technical and logistics support services, and other related element of program and logistics support.

Slovakia would use the equipment to better provide border control, rapid reaction, and field expedient firefighting capability for its air and ground forces in counter-terrorism, border security, and humanitarian operations. In a statement, DSCA noted this would contribute to the national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally.

Implementation of the FMS may require the assignment of an additional three U.S. government and give contractor representatives in Slovakia to support the delivery and training for about 2-5 years.