Lithuania wants to replace Mil Mi-8s by UH-60Ms in 2024...

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https://defence-blog.com/news/lithuania ... pters.html

Lithuania plans to buy new UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters

Published 10:27 (GMT+0000) October 20, 2019

The Lithuanian Armed Force has taken a decision to start negotiations on the procurement of new helicopters to replace Soviet-made Mi-8.

The new utility helicopters are planned to be used for search and rescue operations
and for the tasks of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Lithuania,
according to a service news release.

“Currently the Lithuanian Armed Forces continues to use for its tasks three operational Soviet-made Mi-8
whose airworthiness deadline is very near,
and three AS365 N3+ Dauphin helicopters that are mainly used for search and rescue operations
and environmental protection surveillance in the territory of Lithuania.

We have to change the remnant Mi-8 Soviet platform to a western technology for military tasks,”
Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis says.

He also underscores that the need of more modern western helicopters arose because the operating life of the Mi-8 will soon be over,
their maintenance is expensive, constantly required,
and a high-risk issue because of the complicated supply of spare parts from the Russian Federation.

A market analysis that was done according to the criteria formulated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces
has revealed that the UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopter offered by the United States of America
meets the demands in the most optimal way.

Therefore, it has been agreed that negotiations with the U.S. Government on procurement of six UH-60 Black Hawks will be opened in the nearest while.

The negotiations with U.S. Government concerning the helicopter procurement will begin in the nearest future,
while the Letter of Offer and Acceptance is expected to be signed by the end of 2020.

It is estimated that the first of the new UH-60M military utility helicopters
will be delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces by the end of 2024.

The value of the UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopter procurement is approximately EUR 300 million.
The U.S. Government is currently exploring options to potentially provide U.S. security assistance funds to this important procurement.

“Direct acquisition of the capability from the U.S. government will supply Lithuania not only with a utility helicopter
but also with a package of training, spare parts and necessary equipment.

There is also a high probability that it will bring us additional financial support
through the different U.S. security assistance funds,” R.Karoblis says.

https://defence-blog.com/news/lithuania ... pters.html