On August 26, 2022, the U.S. Department of State’s Defense Cooperation Security Agency finally approved the Australian government’s request to purchase 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
They were initially selected by the Australian Ministry of Defence last year to replace the force’s 47 MRH90 Taipan utility helicopters (a variant of the NH Industries NH-90, supplied by the Australian subsidiary of Airbus).
Taipans have had reliability issues and have proven costly to operate. This includes the 2019 and 2021 fleet venues.
An official Defence Cost Project report estimated its operating costs at $35,000 to $50,000 per hour (as reported by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute). Therefore, the decision was made to retire the fleet ahead of the scheduled retirement date of 2037.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) had previously received approval in 2021 to replace its Taipan helicopters with 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
The Black Hawk will be built in the United States, a choice made out of a pressing need to maintain vertical lift capabilities for the Army, including special forces. The acquisition is valued at $1.95 billion.
The order includes 88 General Electric T700 GE 701 engines (8 spares) and 44 AN/AAR-57 anti-missile warning systems from BAE Systems, as well as various navigation and communication systems, training and support. The prime contractor is Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky).
The Australian Army initially operated an early S-70A Black Hawk version in 1991 and received its first aircraft in 1991, but it was due to be completely phased out by mid-2020. Some were kept for another 18 months for special operations where the big squad proved inadequate. These S-70s will also be replaced. The key factors in selecting the UH-60M were its proven track record and the joint support of the U.S. military.
Stephen W. Miller
