Sikorsky teaming with Turkey for T70 helicopter

STRATFORD, Conn., June 16 (UPI) -- Sikorsky announced it is teaming with Istanbul and Turkish Aerospace Industries to produce the T70 utility helicopter based on the S-70i Black Hawk.

The agreement licenses Turkish Utility Helicopter Program contractor Turkish Aerospace Industries to build and deliver 109 T70s in the next decade, Sikorsky's parent company, Lockheed Martin, said in a statement.

T70 deliveries could begin as early as 2021 to the Turkish land forces, air force, gendarme, special forces, national police and forestry service, the company said.

TAI will also deliver an equal number of baseline S-70i Black Hawks for export to Sikorsky in the next 30 years.

Sikorsky and TAI are discussing a joint marketing team to support sale of those Black Hawks to markets in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, the company said.

Sikorsky will provide TAI with required engineering data later this year so it can stard up an assembly line and begin manufacturing, with the first five aircraft arriving in kit form for TAI assembly in 2018, the company said.

TAI will gradually increase its manufacturing scope.