As this publication reported in December, the United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved a proposal from the Greek government to buy (35) UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. Today, a Greek government official has informed Reuters that the deal was agreed upon in Athens and the purchase will move forward for 1.24B USD. The original authorized sale from December was priced at 1.95B USD for the helicopters and auxiliary equipment. It seems that the Greek Air Force has either bought less equipment or the United States, through Lockheed Martin decreased the cost by almost .70B USD. The original equipment to be sold reads below:
- Thirty-five (35) UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters
- Eighty (80) T700-GE 701D engines (70 installed, 10 spares)
- Forty-four (44) AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) (35 installed, 9 spares)
- Eighty-five (85) H-764U Embedded Global Position Systems with Inertial Navigation (EGI) and country unique selective availability anti-spoofing module (SAASM) (or future replacement) (70 installed, 15 spares)
- Eighty-five (85) AN/ARC-231A VHF/UHF/LOS SATCOM radio systems. Also included are AN/ARC-231 Receivers/Transmitters RT-1808A (or future replacement)
- VHF/UHF/LOS SATCOM radios; APR-39C(V)1/4 Radar Warning Receivers; AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets
- APX-123A Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponders; ARC-220 High Frequency (HF) radios with KY-100M; VRC-100 Ground Stations
- AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKLs)
- KIV-77 Common IFF Applique Crypto Computers
- COMSEC Encryption devices; AN/ARN-147(V) Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR)/Instrument Landing System (ILS) Receiver Radios
- AN/ARN-149(V) Low Frequency (LF)/Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) Radio Receivers
- AN/ARN-153 Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) Receiver Transmitters
- AN/APN-209 Radar Altimeters; AN/ARC-210 radios
- EBC-406HM Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs)
- Encrypted Aircraft Wireless Intercommunications Systems (EAWIS); Improved Heads Up Displays (IHUD)
- Signal Data Converters for IHUD; Color Weather Radars
- MX-0D EO/IR with Laser Designators; EO/IR Cabin Monitoring Systems; EO/IR Digital Video Recorders
- AN/ARC-201D RT-1478D radios; Engine Inlet Barrier Filters (EIBF)
- Ballistic Armor Protection Systems (BAPS)
- Internal Auxiliary Fuel Tank Systems (IAFTS)
- Fast Rope Insertion Extraction Systems (FRIES)
- External Rescue Hoists (ERH)
- Rescue Hoist Equipment Sets
- Dual Patient Litter System (DPLS) Sets; Martin Baker Palletized Crew Chief/Gunner Seats with crashworthy floor structural modifications
- External Stores Support System (ESSS)
- Integrated Tow Plates Production Assets
- Universal Software Loading Kits; 60kVA Generator Kits
- Instrument Panels
- DF-500 Personal Location Systems
- Trakkabeam Searchlights; External Gun Mount Systems
- M-134 Mini Gun Systems
- M-240 machine guns
- 7.62mm Cartridges
- 2.75” Rockets; Flare IR Countermeasure M206
- Decoy Flare CM M211
- CTG Impulse BBU-35/B
- CTG, 25.4mm, Decoy, Chaff, M839/RR170/ Series
- M255A2 MK-66 Night Reliability Indicator (NRI)
- Cartridge, Aircraft Fire Extinguisher; Cartridge, Impulse
- Thruster Control Unit (TCU) -3/A; Cartridge, Aircraft
- Black Hawk Aircrew Trainer (BAT)
- Black Hawk Maintenance Trainer (BHMT-M)
- Black Hawk Avionics Trainer
- Maintenance Blended Reconfigurable Avionics Trainer (MBRAT)
- CAPT-E-Visual & Control System (CAPT-E VCS)
- Training devices
- Helmets
- Transportation
- Organizational equipment
- Spare and repair parts
- Support equipment
- Tools and test equipment
- Technical data and publications
- Personnel training and training equipment
- U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.
Hellenic Air Force Modernization Goals
This purchase is a part of the long-struggling Hellenic Air Force Modernization Program which launched in 2007. As part of the original plan, fifteen (SAR) helicopters were slotted to replace the aging fleet of Bell 205/212s. On June 9th, 2021, the Hellenic Ministry of Defense approved a plan to further modernize its fighter fleet and purchase (3) MQ-9C UAVs. These plans to modernize the Hellenic Air Force are a directed product of Turkish purchases of Russian and U.S. fourth generation aircraft, world-leading Bayraktar drones, and deepening tensions with their Aegean neighbor.
Black Hawks Most Likely Will be Distributed Cross-Branch
These majority of these Black Hawk helicopters will most likely go to the Hellenic Army Aviation branch of the Greek Armed Forces with the possibility of relieving (14) aforementioned legacy Bells of the Air Force. Like the United States, the Greek Armed Forces has both an Air Force with tactical aviation and an Army Aviation branch which is mainly composed of attack and utility helicopters. The request for equipment to conduct fires and Search and Rescue off of these 35 Black Hawks bolsters the idea that the helicopters will be spread amongst both services.
