Lockheed Martin said Croatia has acquired eight more UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. The order follows an earlier purchase of six units of the Sikorsky-built aircraft, bringing Croatia’s fleet of the twin-engine platform to 12.
The agreement will also provide the Croatian Army with aircraft, organizational equipment, spare and repair parts, and associated support equipment. According to the company, the military investment will strengthen the central European country’s self-defense capabilities.
In a statement, Hamid Salim, Army and Air Force Systems vice president at Sikorsky, said the defense acquisition will support Zagreb’s ongoing modernization efforts and bolster the Balkan region’s ability to deter current and future threats. “We deeply value Croatia’s continued trust in the Black Hawk helicopter, which is operated by the U.S. and more than 35 other nations, including NATO allies,” he said.
The UH-60M platform features an advanced digital avionics suite that supports enhanced situational awareness. It can cruise at 151 knots.
According to Lockheed, the Black Hawk is designed for a broad range of operations such as troop lift, border security, counterterrorism, medical evacuation, search and rescue, resupply or external lift, and combat support.