Slovakia to purchase twelve Black Hawks
Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák announced that Slovakia will purchase twelve revised UH-60 Black Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters for the Vzdušné sily Ozbrojených síl Slovenskej Republiky (Slovak Air Force). The deal, valued at €150 million, excludes weapons.
Back in July 2024, the US State Department authorized a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of twelve AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to Slovakia. The offer, initially valued at €550 million, was later revised.
Slovakia's incumbant cabinet hesitated to buy the Vipers. Due to a significant price difference between the initial offer and the latest, the choice has been made to go for the revised Black Hawks.
The Black Hawks will be second-hand, modernised helicopters offered by ACE Aeronautics LLC, Guntersville (AL), a member of the Helicopter Alliance group. This group is controlled by Czech entrepreneur Jaroslav Strnad, founder and former owner of the local defence company Czechoslovak Group. This group operates several production facilities in both Czechia and Slovakia.
The 'new' Black Hawks will be added to the current fleet of nine UH-60M Black Hawks operated by the 51st Air Wing at Prešov.
Credit photo: ACE Aeronautics