Tel Aviv: Multi-mission is the current hottest buzzword in the defence industry. One system that can perform many missions.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is offering kits that will expand the capabilities of the company’s Black Hawk helicopter. This will enable this helicopter to perform attack missions.
According to the company, the kits extend the role of the Black Hawk into new mission sets including air mobile assault, close support, medical evacuation, ISR and tactical lift, in a single, battle-tested airframe, giving commanders greater flexibility and eliminating the need for separate fleet types.
“The new Armed Black Hawk kits give warfighters one aircraft that can do it all: a single, versatile, combat-proven platform where ground units can quickly switch out the commercially-produced kits, keeping mission readiness high,” said Sikorsky Vice President and General Manager Rich Benton.
“Offering these upgraded kits is another example of our commitment to delivering 21st century security solutions that deliver unmatched performance, lifecycle savings and give soldiers the reliable, interoperable capability they need to win today and tomorrow,” he added.
A single fleet delivers assault, transport and support functions, cutting acquisition and sustainment costs. Operators can select from two production-ready kits for close support or precision strike capabilities, as per Sikorsky.
Sikorsky said that the kits are available via Foreign Military Sale (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale (DCS), for seamless integration into FMS fleets supported by Lockheed Martin in the United States, or direct commercial sale options installed by PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, in Poland.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
