U.S. State Dept. approves possible foreign military sale of four Black Hawks to Latvia
NewsAugust 07, 2018
WASHINGTON. The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Latvia of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $200 million.
State Department documents say that the proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the U.S. by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally, allow for interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces in rapid response to a variety of missions, and enable quick positioning of troops with minimal helicopter assets.
The sale of these UH-60 helicopters to Latvia, say State Department officials, will significantly increase the country's capability to provide troop lift, border security, antiterrorist, medical evacuation, search and rescue, resupply/external lift, and combat support in all weather; Latvia intends to use these helicopters to modernize its armed forces and provide multimission support in the region.
Prime contractors for this agreement will be Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, Connecticut and General Electric Aviation Company (GEAC) in Lynn, Massachusetts.
