Greece approves purchase of 35 Black Hawks

After early discussions between the two countries in October, the deal was then ratified by US counterparts in December and is the beginning of an effort to modernize Greece’s armed forces culminating in a multi-billion, 10-year purchasing plan. This will include acquiring up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets, three frigates from France, and a possible co-design and construction of Constellation-class frigates.

The new fleet of helicopters is expected to cost about €1.15 billion (US$1.24 billion) to replace its aging Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, of which there are approximately 60 being operated by the land forces. The single-engine Hueys that were bought in 1969 are now becoming rarer, and the Hellenic forces have been struggling to secure parts and ongoing support for the platform.

This deal is a significant step towards saving operating costs and logistics as the new Black Hawks use the same engines as the Greek Navy’s current Apaches and MH-60 Romeos (General Electric T700s), and other similar structures and parts as the S-70 Aegean Hawk, helping to achieve uniformity and improve the support of air assets.

The Black Hawk is a multi-role platform that is used for a variety of situations including search and rescue, and medevac.

Last month, Croatia also signed a letter of acceptance for eight Black Hawks.