Croatia to triple Black Hawk fleet with US aid, boosting NATO ties

Croatia has recently received the green light from the US government for the acquisition of eight UH-60M Black Hawk multi-purpose helicopters. This agreement will enable the Balkan nation to significantly expand its fleet of these aircraft, effectively tripling its current inventory and helping to address an equipment shortfall that arose after transferring Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine.

The approval highlights that selling UH-60Ms to Croatia will bolster the country's defense against both current and potential future threats. It will also improve Croatian military capabilities in coalition operations and enhance interoperability with NATO and US forces. Additionally, the acquisition of these helicopters is expected to support political stability and economic development in the region, aligning with broader US foreign policy and security goals.

The contract could value up to 500 million dollars. Besides the eight helicopters, Croatia plans to purchase 19 GE Aerospace T700-GE-701D engines, very high frequency satellite communication systems, missile warning systems, and other advanced avionic equipment tailored for integration with the helicopters. The deal also includes additional armor packages, weapon mounts, M240H machine guns, and training equipment. These helicopters, built at Sikorsky's factory in Stratford, Connecticut, will match the configuration used by the US Army.

Fortunately for Croatia, the cost to the government in Zagreb will be halved to 250 million dollars. The remainder will be covered by American funds designated for aid to Ukraine. This financial arrangement was facilitated by Croatia's prior transfer of fourteen Mi-8 helicopters, of Russian manufacture, to Ukraine. Currently, the Croatian armed forces possess ten Mi-171Sh helicopters.

Croatia began using the UH-60 in 2018 when the USA allocated two helicopters from its surplus stocks. The following year, the Croatian Ministry of Defense ordered an additional two helicopters for 115 million dollars, delivered in February 2022. This latest transaction brings Croatia's total Black Hawk fleet to 12.

This move to acquire more Black Hawks is part of a wider effort to modernize the Croatian armed forces. Besides the UH-60s, Croatia operates eight Bell 206 Jet Ranger II helicopters and 15 OH-58D Kiowa Warriors for reconnaissance and attack roles, all donated by the USA. Additionally, Croatia has significantly upgraded its capabilities with the acquisition of 89 M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 12 pre-owned Dassault Rafale F3R multi-role fighter jets from France for approximately 1.05 billion dollars.

This deal holds considerable importance for Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the helicopter. The company is on track to supply 225 UH-60s in various configurations to the US armed forces by 2027. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that this may be one of the last orders for these helicopters from the USA, as plans are underway to replace the UH-60s with V-280 Valors produced by Bell Textron starting in the early 2030s.

Despite this transition, the UH-60 continues to garner significant international interest. In January 2023, Australia placed an order for 40 units, while Greece followed suit in December with an order for 35 units. The S-70i, a variant of the Black Hawk that omits US-restricted equipment and is produced in Mielec, also remains popular. Given the high demand, the waiting list for new UH-60 deliveries currently stands at around three years.