Slovakia seeking Black Hawk helos

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department has given approval for the possible sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Slovakia under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Notice of the required State Department approval was given to Congress by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees the program.

"The proposed sale will improve Slovakia's capability to deter regional threats and strengthen its homeland defense, as well as support counterterrorism operations," DSCA said. "The sale of these UH-60 helicopters will bolster Slovakia's ability to provide border patrol, rapid reaction, and field expedient fire-fighting capability for its air and ground forces in counterterrorism, border security, and humanitarian operations."

Slovakia, once part of Czechoslovakia and a member of the Warsaw Pact, is specifically seeking nine of the Sikorsky aircraft.

Also included in the proposed sales package would be 20 T700-GE-701D engines, 20 embedded global positioning systems/inertial navigation systems; aviation mission planning systems; an aviation ground power unit; identification friend or foe transponders; high-frequency radios omni ranging/instrument landing system; and tactical air navigation systems.

Logistics services would also be part of the deal, which carries a value of $450 million. The principal contractors would be Sikorsky Aircraft and General Electric Aircraft Company.