Sikorsky awarded $525.4M for Black Hawk helicopters for U.S. Army

March 10 (UPI) -- Sikorsky was awarded a $525.4 million contract modification for work on 40 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense said on Tuesday.

Under the new deal, Sikorsky will produce 38 UH-60M Army aircraft and two UH-60M FMS green aircraft in Stratford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022.

The new contract comes as a modification to a 2017 contract for production of Black Hawk helicopters for the Army and foreign military customers, specifically Saudi Arabia. The 2017 multi-year deal, chosen instead of five separate annual contracts, was meant to save the U.S. government money, according to the Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky.

The Black Hawk, introduced in 1974 and used by the U.S. since 1979, provides combat air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control and special operations support for the Army.

The aircraft is used by military forces in Japan, Colombia and South Korea as well as the United States and Saudi Arabia.

In December, Sikorsky also received $556.1 million to produce and support Black Hawks for the Army.