First Black Hawks transferred from Jordan to Austria
UPDATE: the two Black Hawks flew from Larnaca (Cyprus) to Beirut (Lebanon) the same day. So these two were not on their way to Austria. So we have to wait a little longer to know which ex Jordanian Black Hawks have been sold to Austria.
In a surprise move, the first two al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya (RJAF, Royal Jordanian Air Force) Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawks were transferred to Austria via Larnaca (Cyprus) on 17 May 2021.
On 24 February 2021, Scramble Magazine reported on the sale of three RJAF UH-60Ls to Austria.
Although it is not 100% confirmed that the two helicopters, serials SO-3002 and SO-3004, are in fact on their way to Austria, they are hardly ever seen outside Jordan, indicating that this is indeed the delivery flight. All RJAF Black Hawks were put up for sale in December 2018, but removed from the RJAF list of for sale aircraft in mid-2019.
If true, the UH-60Ls will augment the fleet of nine S-70A-42 Black Hawks of the mittleren Transporthubschrauberstaffel (mTHSSta), part of the Luftunterstutzungsgeschwader at Tulln-Langenlebarn (Austria). Once received, Ace Aeronautics in Guntersville (AL) will apply the Ace upgrade to these helicopters, bringing them all to the same standard as the rest of the Austrian Black Hawks.
Photo by Modestos Meletiou