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Lockheed launches Team Black Hawk For UK’s new medium helicopter requirement
September 14, 2023 By Helicopters Staff
With more than 5,000 Black Hawks delivered worldwide, the global network of spare parts and services, combined with Lockheed Martin’s industry plan for sustainment in the UK, will allow the UK to take advantage of a robust supply chain. (Photo: Lockheed Martin) Lockheed Martin on September 12 at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition announced its intention to participate in the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement. It outlined its team of UK partners, highlighted by an agreement with StandardAero, and the benefits of choosing the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter to replace the UK’s aging mixed medium helicopter fleet.
Lockheed Martin also outlined its plan to collaborate with its UK partners to create a multitude of opportunities for UK industry, including jobs and opportunities in export, manufacturing and future technology development.
Lockheed Martin estimates nearly 40 per cent of total Black Hawk production and assembly will occur in the UK and will support, on average, 660 UK jobs a year between 2025 and 2030.
The plan also creates approximately £470 million of export opportunities for UK partners manufacturing sub-systems and components over the next 10 years, equivalent to 40 per cent of the Total Programme Value, based on the expected export market to Black Hawk customers. The company’s estimate includes ongoing fleet sustainment that will support approximately 320 jobs a year for decades to come when the UK Black Hawk fleet is in-service.
“The newest generation of the Black Hawk is proven, versatile and ready now,” said Sikorsky Chief Executive Paul Livingston. “It’s not only the right choice for UK Defence, it’s the right choice for UK industry and it will create a generation of high-skilled jobs here in Britain.”
As part of the Team Black Hawk announcement, Lockheed Martin formally signed a teaming agreement with Gosport-based StandardAero as Team Black Hawk’s aircraft assembly, testing, delivery, maintenance and integration partner for UK-unique equipment and systems, which will bring highly skilled jobs to an economically deprived area of the UK.
StandardAero in Gosport will be the home of the Black Hawk in the UK and together with Lockheed Martin, Martin-Baker Aircraft Company in Denham, Curtiss-Wright in Christchurch, Chelton in Marlow, Inzspire in Lincoln, C3iA Solutions in Poole, Nova Systems in Filton, and Ascent Flight Training & CAE at RAF Benson will create 660 high-skilled jobs and decades of UK workshare through the UK Black Hawk’s lifecycle.
“StandardAero is delighted to be teaming with Lockheed Martin UK on this once-in-a-generation helicopter program,” said Simon Jones, StandardAero Group Managing Director, Europe. “For StandardAero UK it will mean upwards of 175 new, highly skilled, jobs in one of the more economically deprived local areas of the UK, with many more throughout our UK-based supply chain.”
The Black Hawk will be assembled in the UK to meet the MOD’s specific requirements by a team of industrial partners including StandardAero. Lockheed Martin examined all potential partners for the assembly aspect of Black Hawk in the UK and concluded that StandardAero was the most experienced and capable partner.
