Austria is proceeding with its purchase of 12 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Vienna signed a contract to acquire the aircraft June 30, 2024, and made the announcement on its website July 3. Washington announced possible terms of the potential sale on May 29, estimating the value at $1.05 billion for the aircraft and “related elements of logistics and program support.”
“With the purchase of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, we are making a significant step forward in improving our operational capability,” said Austria’s defense minister Klaudia Tanner in a translated statement.
“These versatile aircraft are a significant contribution to increasing the safety of our soldiers. They will be invaluable to us in a variety of application scenarios, especially in challenging mountain regions and under extreme weather conditions. With this investment, we are taking another decisive step toward ensuring the operational readiness of our armed forces and sustainably increasing safety.”
Delivery of the helicopters is slated to begin in 2028 and will replace a fleet of Agusta Bell AB212 aircraft, which are scheduled to be removed from flight operations by 2030.
In May, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the proposed sale also included 26 T700-GE-701D turboshaft engines; 15 AN/AAR-57 counter missile warning systems (CMWS); and 30 H-764U embedded global positioning systems with inertial navigation (EGI), among several other components, training devices, and support.
“The proposed sale will improve Austria’s capability to deter current and future threats and support coalition operations and the United States’ and Austria’s goal of greater military interoperability,” the DSCA said at the time.
“Austria will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
