New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition
A Black Hawk deploys launched effects during PCC6 in July 2026. (Photo: US Air Force)
The US$234 million award for 16 Sikorsky UH-60Ms preserves near-term production, but funding uncertainty and an undefinitised contract leave the US Army’s long-term Black Hawk requirements unresolved.
The latest US Army order for 16 UH-60M Black Hawks has raised questions about how the service intends to sustain its utility-helicopter inventory while accelerating the development of its next-generation replacement, the Bell MV-75 Cheyenne II.
The US$234.46 million fixed-price-incentive modification award published last week will keep Sikorsky’s manufacturing line moving into 2028 and enable it to accommodate additional US or foreign military sales aircraft over the next year. The grant increased the cumulative value of the contract to nearly $356 million.
Notably, it came with an undefinitised action, which allows work to begin before the parties have agreed all
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