“Greece Strengthens Its Aerial Might: Acquires 35 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters from Lockheed Martin”
The U.S. Administration has granted Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary (NYSE: LMT), a Foreign Military Sale agreement to furnish 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Greece. This arrangement encompasses 35 aircraft for the Hellenic Army, as well as training for personnel, training apparatus, and an initial supply package, which will greatly enhance self-defense and strengthen interoperability within the country and with NATO partners.
“Our collaboration with Greece extends over decades, and we are delighted to witness the nation’s ongoing confidence in Sikorsky helicopters as Greece will reap the benefits of an integrated Hawk family of aircraft facilitating national defense and humanitarian missions,” stated Hamid Salim, Sikorsky vice president of Army and Air Force Systems. “The Black Hawk helicopter provides Greece with a diverse range of operational capabilities and a global network of over 5,000 Hawk aircraft utilized by 36 nations worldwide.”
“The recently contracted UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters serve as an additional affirmation of the enduring relationship Lockheed Martin maintains with Greece, its Armed Forces, and defense sectors for more than 80 years,” noted Costas Papadopoulos, international business development executive director for Greece at Lockheed Martin. “The Black Hawk helicopter is the reliable backbone of multi-mission medium lift aircraft and will empower Greece to conduct essential operations in the region. These helicopters will complement Greece’s upgraded F-16Vs, new MH-60Rs, existing F-16s, C-130s, and S-70Bs, alongside future F-35s. This enhanced fleet will equip Greece with heightened capabilities for air, land, and maritime operations, strengthening the nation’s security for years ahead.”
With its current S-70B fleet and newly acquired MH-60R maritime helicopters for the Hellenic Navy, Greece will operate various models of the Hawk family, benefiting from the operational and maintenance advantages of fleet commonality. The Black Hawk is adaptable enough to carry out a variety of operations across extensive ranges and in the most challenging environments, boosting survivability and overall efficiency for 21st Century Security® missions.
Building on Lockheed Martin’s collaboration with Greece that spans over 80 years, the company is prepared to assist Greece and provide capabilities such as F-35s, F-16s, and C-130s, in addition to Hawk aircraft that will elevate the country’s deterrence capabilities and interoperability with allied nations.
Greece will become the 12th European nation to operate the Black Hawk helicopter. In 2024, the U.S. Administration has entrusted Sikorsky with contracts to produce and deliver a total of 84 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, further confirming the Black Hawk’s status as the leading multi-role utility helicopter globally. On Oct. 23, Sikorsky also secured UH-60M contract awards to expand the Black Hawk fleets in Austria, Brazil, Sweden, and Thailand. In July, Sikorsky was awarded contracts for Black Hawks in Croatia and Jordan; in June, Romania also enhanced its fleet of S-70 Black Hawks, which share the same lineage as the UH-60M.
