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Statement: U.S. Approving Sale Of UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters To Australia
THE HON ANDREW HASTIE MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CANNING
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
26 August 2022
U.S. APPROVING SALE OF UH-60M BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS TO AUSTRALIA
Shadow Minister for Defence, the Hon Andrew Hastie MP, today welcomed the United States State Department determination approving the sale of up to 40 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters and related equipment to Australia.
In December 2021, the previous Coalition government under former Defence Minister, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, formally requested advice from the U.S. Government on this acquisition to strengthen the Australian Army’s helicopter capability and to potentially replace the MRH90 Taipan helicopter.
Our government took these steps to ensure that the Australian Defence Force have a safe, reliable, and capable utility helicopter available for our service men and women into the future.
The UH-60 Black Hawk is the most widely used utility helicopter variant in the world. The UH-60M is the latest version and has been in service with the U.S. Army and other nations for over a decade.
During my own service in the ADF, I flew in Black Hawk Helicopters and have a firsthand understanding of their superiority for air assault and special operations mission profiles.
They will also be vital in the event of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations in the region.
I hope the Defence Minister and the Government will act quickly to finalise this sale and enable our ADF to bring this important capability into service at the earliest possible opportunity.
I trust the current Australian government will continue the Coalition’s record of ensuring the Australian Defence Force is best equipped for the strategic challenges of the future.
[END]
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