Rotorcraft Report: Sikorsky Bags Multi-Year Buy for U.S. H-60s

MILITARY | UTILITY

Sikorsky Aircraft has won a multi-year procurement from the U.S. government, covering the acquisition of 537 H-60 Hawks for the Army and Navy over five years.

The contract, valued at $7.4 billion, covers the acquisition of UH-60M and HH-60M medevac Black Hawks for the Army and MH-60S Knighthawks and -60R Strikehawks for the Navy, with the deliveries starting this year and extending through 2012. The multi-year deal includes options for 263 more helicopters, spares, and kits. The total potential value of the contract is $11.6 billion, Sikorsky said. Production quantities will be set each year by congressional and Defense Dept. acquisition priorities.

The multi-year procurement allows Sikorsky, and more importantly its key suppliers, to schedule and budget for H-60-related work more efficiently, particularly for long-lead items. Theoretically, that should drive down the unit cost of the aircraft for the U.S. government.