UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters carrying distinguished visitors arrive for Army Day 2018, Feb. 9, 2018, Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait. Army Day was the opening event for U.S. Central Command’s Component Commanders Conference that allowed U.S. Army Central to showcase the Army’s capabilities at the theater level. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ty McNeeley, U.S. ARCENT PAO)
By Dan Parsons |
@sharkparsons
6 years ago |
08/03/2018

Latvia is cleared to buy four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Sikorsky [LMT] under a potential $200 million deal approved by the U.S. State Department.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced the deal Aug. 3. It includes the four aircraft in standard U.S. government configuration along with 10 General Electric [GE] T-700 engines and 10 embedded GPS systems.

UH-60 Black Hawk Photo: Sikorsky.
UH-60 Black Hawk
Photo: Sikorsky.

Also included in the deal is an Aviation Mission Planning System, five (5) Talon Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR), 10 Harris [HRS] ARC-201D/E airborne radios, 10 Raytheon [RTN] AN/ARC-231 radios, five (5) AN/APX-123A Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponders, five AN/ARC-220 radios, 20 AN/AVS-6 helmet-mounted night vision devices, and associated support and training services.

DSCA specifically notes the aircraft will support a NATO ally and promote U.S. interoperability with Latvia.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally,” the DSCA announcement said. “These UH-60 helicopters will allow for interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces in rapid response to a variety of missions, and quick positioning of troops with minimal helicopter assets.”

The sale will improve Latvia’s troop lift capability and perform border security, counterterrorism, medical evacuation, search and rescue and combat resupply and support, DSCA said. 

Prime contractors include Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, Conn., and General Electric Aviation Company (GEAC) in Lynn, Mass. 

Latvia has been beefing up its defensive capabilities of late. In February it announced the purchase of $134 million worth of Spike anti-tank missiles from Israeli defense firm Rafael Advanced Systems. Sales of the missiles to European countries are facilitated through the German EuroSpike GmbH subsidiary.

Lockheed Martin in March completed a site acceptance test for its new TPS-77 Multi-Role Radar (MRR) in Latvia while delivering the first of three of transportable radars for the country’s air force. Latvia ordered the three TPS-77 MRRs in 2015 to strengthen its airspace defense and low-level flight surveillance capabilities.