The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Greece of UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.95 billion. The Government of Greece has requested to buy thirty-five (35) UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters; 80 T700-GE 701D engines; 44 AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS); 85 H-764U Embedded Global Position Systems with Inertial Navigation (EGI) and country unique selective availability anti-spoofing module (SAASM) (or future replacement); and eighty-five (85) AN/ARC-231A VHF/UHF/LOS SATCOM radio systems. The proposed sale will replace Greece’s current multi-role helicopter fleet with a more reliable and proven system that will allow Greece to maintain the appropriate level of readiness to conduct combined operations. The UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter will improve the Hellenic Army’s ability to deploy combat power to secure Greece’s borders, deter actions against its interests, and, when required, respond with credible force. Greece will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, Stratford, CT. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Also included are AN/ARC-231 Receivers/Transmitters RT-1808A (or future replacement); VHF/UHF/LOS SATCOM radios; APR-39C(V)1/4 Radar Warning Receivers; AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets; APX-123A Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponders; ARC-220 High Frequency (HF) radios with KY-100M; VRC-100 Ground Stations; AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKLs); KIV-77 Common IFF Applique Crypto Computers; COMSEC Encryption devices; AN/ARN-147(V) Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR)/Instrument Landing System (ILS) Receiver Radios; AN/ARN-149(V) Low Frequency (LF)/Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) Radio Receivers; AN/ARN-153 Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) Receiver Transmitters; AN/APN-209 Radar Altimeters; AN/ARC-210 radios; EBC-406HM Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs); Encrypted Aircraft Wireless Intercommunications Systems (EAWIS); Improved Heads Up Displays (IHUD); Signal Data Converters for IHUD; Color Weather Radars; MX-0D EO/IR with Laser Designators; EO/IR Cabin Monitoring Systems; EO/IR Digital Video Recorders; AN/ARC-201D RT-1478D radios; Engine Inlet Barrier Filters (EIBF); Ballistic Armor Protection Systems (BAPS); Internal Auxiliary Fuel Tank Systems (IAFTS); Fast Rope Insertion Extraction Systems (FRIES); External Rescue Hoists (ERH); Rescue Hoist Equipment Sets; Dual Patient Litter System (DPLS) Sets; Martin Baker Palletized Crew Chief/Gunner Seats with crashworthy floor structural modifications; External Stores Support System (ESSS); Integrated Tow Plates Production Assets; Universal Software Loading Kits; 60kVA Generator Kits; Instrument Panels; DF-500 Personal Location Systems; Trakkabeam Searchlights; External Gun Mount Systems; M-134 Mini Gun Systems; M-240 machine guns; 7.62mm Cartridges; 2.75” Rockets; Flare IR Countermeasure M206; Decoy Flare CM M211; CTG Impulse BBU-35/B; CTG, 25.4mm, Decoy, Chaff, M839/RR170/ Series; M255A2 MK-66 Night Reliability Indicator (NRI); Cartridge, Aircraft Fire Extinguisher; Cartridge, Impulse; Thruster Control Unit (TCU) -3/A; Cartridge, Aircraft; Black Hawk Aircrew Trainer (BAT); Black Hawk Maintenance Trainer (BHMT-M); Black Hawk Avionics Trainer; Maintenance Blended Reconfigurable Avionics Trainer (MBRAT); CAPT-E-Visual & Control System (CAPT-E VCS); training devices; helmets; transportation; organizational equipment; spare and repair parts.
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) competition in 1972. The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) competition in 1972. After entering service, the helicopter was modified for new missions and roles, including mine laying and medical evacuation. The UH-60 features four-blade main and tail rotors, and is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines. The main rotor is fully articulated and has elastomeric bearings in the rotor head. The tail rotor is canted and features a rigid crossbeam. The helicopter has a long, low profile shape to meet the Army’s requirement for transporting aboard a C-130 Hercules, with some disassembly. It can carry 11 troops with equipment, lift 2,600 pounds (1,200 kg) of cargo internally or 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of cargo (for UH-60L/M) externally by sling. The Black Hawk helicopter series can perform a wide array of missions, including the tactical transport of troops, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation. A VIP version known as the VH-60N is used to transport important government officials (e.g., Congress, Executive departments) with the helicopter’s call sign of “Marine One” when transporting the President of the United States. In air assault operations, it can move a squad of 11 combat troops or reposition a 105 mm M119 howitzer with 30 rounds ammunition and a four-man crew in a single lift. The Black Hawk is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics for increased survivability and capability, such as the Global Positioning System.
An EH-60 variant was developed to conduct electronic warfare and special operations aviation developed the MH-60 variant to support its missions. Due to weight increases from the addition of mission equipment and other changes, the Army ordered the improved UH-60L in 1987. The new model incorporated all of the modifications made to the UH-60A fleet as standard design features. The UH-60L also featured more power and lifting capability with upgraded T700-GE-701C engines and an improved gearbox, both from the SH-60B Seahawk. Its external lift capacity increased by 1,000 lb (450 kg) up to 9,000 lb (4,100 kg). The UH-60L also incorporated the SH-60B’s automatic flight control system (AFCS) for better flight control with more powerful engines. Production of the L-model began in 1989. Development of the next improved variant, the UH-60M, was approved in 2001, to extend the service life of the UH-60 design into the 2020s. The UH-60M incorporates upgraded T700-GE-701D engines, improved rotor blades, and state-of-the-art electronic instrumentation, flight controls and aircraft navigation control. After the U.S. DoD approved low-rate initial production of the new variant, manufacturing began in 2006, with the first of 22 new UH-60Ms delivered in July 2006. After an initial operational evaluation, the Army approved full-rate production and a five-year contract for 1,227 helicopters in December 2007. By March 2009, 100 UH-60M helicopters had been delivered to the Army. In November 2014, the US military ordered 102 aircraft of various H-60 types, worth $1.3 billion.
