Bahrain takes delivery of Black Hawk helicopter

Manama: Sikorsky Aircraft Corp has delivered a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter to the Defence Forces of Bahrain. It is the first of nine aircraft that will be delivered.

Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

The delivery also marks the beginning of the first squadron of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters that will be operated by an international military organisation. The Royal Bahrain Air Force will fly the aircraft for military operations that include protection of sovereign borders as well as protection and defence of US and coalition strategic facilities.

"The Bahrain Air Force is getting a powerful tool in the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter," said Doug Shidler, Sikorsky Vice President of US government programmes.

"The sophistication and capabilities of this aircraft will greatly enhance the Bahrain military's ability, and will serve their country well for years to come."

Bahrain officials signed the US Army Letter of Offer and Acceptance on May 7, 2007, to purchase nine UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS), the first for the UH-60M.

Schedule

The aircraft are being completed at Sikorsky's Military Derivatives Completion Centre in New York. Deliveries are scheduled to continue into 2010.

The UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter is a twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter designed to a US Army requirement to carry an 11-man squad and four-man crew under combat conditions. Sikorsky Aircraft has been manufacturing the Black Hawk helicopter for the US Army since 1978. The UH-60M helicopter is the latest and the most advanced model to be fielded to the US Army.

The UH-60M helicopter provides additional payload and range, improved handling qualities, lower operating costs and greater survivability than earlier generation Black Hawk helicopters.

These improvements are achieved with improved engines, revolutionary rotor blade design, improved durability transmission system, advanced digital avionics and an integrated "glass" cockpit.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.