Sweden has requested accelerated delivery of 15 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to meet the scheduled deployment of Swedish military in Afghanistan in April 2013. The helicopters produced by Sikorsky Aircraft are delivered through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS). Since production has began in May 2011 seven helicopters are expected to be delivered by December, with the remaining eight transferred within 12 months. The the aircraft will support coalition and Afghan forces providing medical evacuation, utility, and search and rescue missions.
The UH-60M is in service with the U.S. Army since 2007. Sweden’s aircraft come equipped from Sikorsky with an advanced flight control system to reduce pilot workload, full night vision device capability for night operations, and a state-of-the-art communications suite. The U.S. Army will further modify the aircraft with a variety of equipment, including an exterior rescue hoist, gunner seats, armored floor, stackable litters, a cockpit heater and environmental control system.
Swedish aircrew already flight qualified in UH-60M aircraft at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Fort Rucker, Ala. will receive follow on unit training at the Swedish Air Force base in Linkoping following the arrival of the first four unmodified aircraft in Sweden in early 2012.
