Croatia's strategic upgrade: US approves major Black Hawk deal

Croatia has been given the green light by the US government to buy eight UH-60M Black Hawk multi-purpose helicopters. This acquisition will significantly boost Croatia's fleet of these aircraft, increasing their numbers threefold and helping to fill the void left by the transfer of Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine.

The approval indicates that the sale of UH-60Ms to Croatia will assist in defending against present and future threats and enhance Croatian capabilities in coalition operations. It will also improve interoperability with NATO and US forces. Additionally, the delivery of these helicopters is expected to promote political stability in the region and aid economic development, aligning with US foreign policy and security goals.

The contract's maximum value is estimated at around £403 million. The deal includes not just the eight helicopters but also 19 GE Aerospace T700-GE-701D engines, very high frequency satellite communication systems, systems for warning of launched anti-air missiles, and other integrated avionic equipment. Extra armor packages, weapon mounts, M240H machine guns, and training devices are also part of the package. The helicopters will be manufactured at Sikorsky's facility in Stratford, Connecticut, to the same specifications as those used by the US Army.

A significant aspect of this deal for Croatia is that the government in Zagreb is required to pay only £201 million. The remaining cost will be met by the US, using funds designated for aid to Ukraine. This arrangement follows Croatia's transfer of fourteen Mi-8 helicopters of Russian manufacture to Ukraine several months ago. Currently, the Croatian armed forces still operate ten Mi-171Sh helicopters.

Since 2018, Croatia has been using the UH-60 helicopters, which began when the USA transferred two surplus helicopters to them. In the subsequent year, the Croatian Ministry of Defense ordered two more for £93 million, delivered in February 2022. With this latest order, Croatia's total Black Hawk fleet will grow to 12 aircraft.

The acquisition of additional Black Hawks is part of Croatia's broader initiative to modernize its armed forces to Western standards. Alongside the UH-60s, Croatia operates eight Bell 206 Jet Ranger II helicopters and 15 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior reconnaissance and attack helicopters, donated by the USA. The procurement of 89 M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 12 second-hand Dassault Rafale F3R multi-role fighter jets from France for approximately £846 million has also been significant.

This deal holds substantial importance for the helicopters' manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, which is currently fulfilling a multi-year contract to deliver 225 UH-60s in various models to the US armed forces by 2027. However, this may be the last order for these helicopters from the US as plans suggest they might be replaced by V-280 Valors produced by Bell Textron from the early 2030s, should there be no delays.

Despite this, the UH-60 continues to generate significant interest internationally. In January 2023, Australia placed an order for 40 units, and in December of the same year, Greece ordered 35 units. Continued demand is also seen for the S-70i, a version of the Black Hawk without US-restricted equipment, produced in Mielec. Due to the popularity of both models, the current waiting time for new UH-60 deliveries stands at approximately 3 years.