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June 20 (UPI) -- Sikorsky Aircraft was awarded a $15 million foreign military sales contract for work and support on Saudi Arabia's UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters. The contract will procure the aircraft support, storage and maintenance, the U.S. Defense Department announced Wednesday.
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Work will be performed at the Lockheed Martin-owned company's plant in Stratford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2022.
Fiscal 2019 foreign military sales funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award.
In January 2018, The U.S. Army awarded Sikorsky a contract worth nearly $200 million for 17 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for Saudi Arabia.
The UH-60M has a crew of four with 9,000 pounds of hauling capacity. They can fly 4,000 feet in altitude.
In all more than 4,000 UH-60's have been produced for U.S. Department of Defense's armed services branches, including 2,135 for the U.S. Army. The aircraft have also been supplied to allies, though with the S-70 designation, according to Lockheed Martin.
The first UH-60A Black Hawk was accepted by the Army in 1978, and entered service in 1979 with aviation components of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions. Future variations include the UH-60L and UH-60M, the latter of which Lockheed Martin calls the "best-in-class multi-mission performer."
