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Lockheed Martin UK has announced their bid for a domestically built Black Hawk medium helicopter capability for the United Kingdom.
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The company announced their intention to participate in the UK Ministry of Defence’s New Medium Helicopter requirement at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition with a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter proposal to replace the UK’s mixed medium helicopter fleet.
The bid includes export, manufacturing, and future technology development including nearly 40 per cent of total Black Hawk production and assembly to occur in the UK. That would also translate to support for 660 UK jobs a year between 2025 and 2030, according to Lockheed.
The plan would create £470 million of export opportunities for UK partners’ manufacturing subsystems and components over the next 10 years, according to Lockheed Martin UK chief executive Paul Livingston.
“The newest generation of the Black Hawk is proven, versatile, and ready now. It’s not only the right choice for UK Defence, it’s the right choice for UK industry and it will create a generation of high-skilled jobs here in Britain,” he said.
The company’s estimate includes ongoing fleet sustainment that will support approximately 320 jobs a year for decades to come when the UK Black Hawk fleet is in-service.
As part of Team Black Hawk’s announcement, Lockheed Martin formally signed a teaming agreement with Gosport-based StandardAero as Team Black Hawk’s aircraft assembly, testing, delivery, maintenance, and integration partner for UK-unique equipment and systems.
“StandardAero is delighted to be teaming with Lockheed Martin UK on this once-in-a-generation helicopter program,” said StandardAero Europe group managing director Simon Jones.
“For StandardAero UK, it will mean upwards of 175 new, highly skilled jobs in one of the more economically deprived local areas of the UK, with many more throughout our UK-based supply chain.
More than ,5000 Black Hawk helicopters are already in service with 35 nations and have flown 15 million flight hours with 5 million hours in combat conditions.
