Image: Staff Sgt. John Johnson via DVIDS
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $2.3 billion Foreign Military Sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Norway, as per a recent press statement.
Norway has requested 21 UH-60M Black Hawks alongside 46 T700-GE-701D engines and a substantial package of defensive and mission systems. The order includes 25 AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems, 25 Common Infrared Countermeasure units, and 25 AN/APR-39E(V)2 Radar Warning Receivers. It also covers 50 EAGLE-M+429 embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems, 100 AN/ARC-231A radios, and 18 M240H machine guns.
A long list of non-Major Defense Equipment items accompanies the package. These include laser warning systems, identification friend or foe (IFF) transponders, weather radar, and rescue hoist equipment. Training devices, spare parts, and logistics support services are also included.
Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division, based in Stratford, Connecticut, will serve as the principal contractor. No offset agreement has yet been proposed; any such arrangement would be negotiated directly between Norway and the contractor.
The sale supports NATO cohesion at a time of heightened alliance activity across Europe. It would modernise Norway’s rotary wing fleet, giving its army and special operations forces a shared platform for independent operations. This is expected to strengthen interoperability with U.S. and allied forces.
Implementing the sale would require around 15 U.S. government personnel and 15 contractor representatives to travel to Norway. Their work would cover equipment fielding, system checkout, and technical training.
The State Department noted the sale would not alter the region’s military balance, nor affect U.S. defence readiness.
Learn more on The U.S. Department of State Website
