The US Department of State has approved a possible $1.08bn Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Mexico covering 11 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, associated equipment, training and support.
The proposed procurement is intended to expand Mexico’s existing UH-60M fleet while consolidating helicopter types within its rotary-wing force, according to the US Government notification.
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It would also support airlift operations for Mexican forces involved in counter-drug activity.
Alongside the aircraft, Mexico has requested 27 T700-GE-701D engines, 27 EAGLE-M+429 embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems and 27 AN/ARC-231A RT-1987 VHF, UHF and line-of-sight satellite communications radios.
The package also includes identification friend or foe transponders and cryptographic equipment, navigation and landing receivers, tactical air-navigation equipment, radar altimeters, high-frequency radios and night-vision goggles.
Aircraft equipment listed in the notification includes weather radar, MX-10D electro-optical and infrared systems with laser designator, illuminator, pointer, range finder and cabin-viewer functions, engine inlet barrier filters, ballistic protection, auxiliary fuel tanks, hoists and fast-rope insertion and extraction systems.
Mexico’s request further covers M-134 machine guns, helmets, spare parts, repair and support equipment, technical publications, training, and US government and contractor engineering, logistics and technical services.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is named as the principal contractor for the FMS.
The US government said it was not aware of any proposed offset agreement, with any such arrangement to be settled between Mexico and the contractor.
Implementation would require 15 additional US government or contractor representatives to spend an extended period in Mexico supporting equipment de-processing, fielding, system checks, training and logistics.
The State Department said the proposed sale would support US foreign-policy and national-security objectives by improving the security capabilities of Mexico.
It added that the transaction would not alter the basic military balance in the region and would have no adverse effect on US defence readiness.
In September this year, the Mexican Air Force, known as the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (FAM), announced the acquisition of a second Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules as it recapitalises its legacy Hercules fleet.
