Brunei, Sikorsky announce helicopter deal

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LANGKAWI, Malaysia, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Brunei's Ministry of Defense is buying 12 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters with associated spare parts, from Sikorsky Aircraft of Connecticut.

The deal, which includes training and ground support and an option for 10 additional aircraft, was announced at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia.

"We thank the Brunei government for selecting the S-70i Black Hawk aircraft to fulfill the Brunei armed forces Support Helicopter Project," said Robert Kokorda, Sikorsky Sales and Marketing vice president. "We look forward to a close collaboration with the Brunei armed forces to provide best-in-class helicopter training and logistics support for the lifetime of the aircraft."

Sikorsky said it will place an S-70i aircraft simulator in the region as part of the deal.

Brunei in November announced its selection of the S-70i Black Hawk aircraft after months of evaluating competing helicopters.

The S-70i helicopter is the international variant of the Black Hawk helicopter used by the U.S. military. It features advanced avionics, including a dual GPS/INS system with digital mapping systems, and an active vibration control system. User-specific systems can be integrated onto the platform.