Sikorsky delivers 1,000th U.S. Army H-60M Black Hawk

STRATFORD, Conn., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Sikorsky delivered the 1,000th H-60M Black Hawk helicopter to the U.S. Army Thursday, the Lockheed Martin subsidiary announced.

The company delivered the first UH-60M to the service in 2007 and the first HH-60M Medevac helicopter in 2008, the company said in a statement.

Thursday's ceremony marked the delivery of the 792nd UH-60M and the 208th HH-60M.

The "Mike" model helicopters represent the Army's third standard baseline H-60 Black Hawk aircraft version in the program's 38-year production history.

The newest models feature more powerful engines, a new airframe, avionics and propulsion system, improved rotor blades, a digital cockpit and an autopilot, among other modern enhancements.

There are currently 2,135 H-60 Black Hawks in service, with the Army's fleet of the helicopters having flown nearly nine million flight hours.

The H-60M is flown by 10 other militaries throughout the world.

Sikorsky delivered the UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters to the service from 1978 to 1989, and delivered the UH-60L from 1989 to 2008.

The Army plans to keep the Black Hawk fleet flying through 2070.