US Approves $140M Sale of Four UH-60L Black Hawk Helicopters to Argentina
The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of four UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters to the Argentine Army. Notified to Congress on September 10, 2026, the $140 million package would deliver Argentina’s first-ever Black Hawk helicopters if finalized. The deal is not yet a binding contract — it currently sits at the “possible sale” notification stage of the U.S. Foreign Military Sale (FMS) process.
At a Glance
- Status: Official — U.S. State Department approval, notified to Congress September 10, 2026
- Item: 4 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters
- Package value: ~$140 million
- Prime contractor: Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company), Stratford, Connecticut
- Package includes: two T700-GE-701D engines, communication/navigation systems, rescue hoist, fast-rope insertion/extraction system, internal auxiliary fuel tank, training equipment and spare parts
- Buyer: Argentine Army
- Fleet being replaced: roughly 50 aging Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters
According to the notification, the helicopters would become the Argentine Army’s first-ever Black Hawks, beginning the replacement of a Huey fleet that has served for decades. Washington said the potential sale would reinforce Argentina’s capacity for border security, countering transnational crime, and humanitarian assistance/disaster-response operations.
How the Process Works
Notification to Congress is the first formal step of an FMS process, not a binding contract. Under U.S. law, Congress has a defined review period after notification during which it can object; if that period passes without action, the parties can proceed to sign the actual procurement agreement, known as a Letter of Offer and Acceptance. This initial four-helicopter package is seen as the opening phase of Argentina’s fleet renewal, and whether follow-on orders materialize will be worth watching in the months ahead.
What It Means for Turkey
The deal offers an indirect point of comparison with Turkey’s own UH-60 derivative program. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) builds the T-70 multi-role helicopter under a Sikorsky license, delivering it to the Turkish Armed Forces while also exporting it abroad. Argentina acquiring the classic UH-60L directly from the U.S. through the FMS channel, alongside Turkey’s parallel path of turning the same basic design into a domestically produced, export-ready platform via the T-70, illustrates two very different procurement routes for the same underlying airframe.
FAQ
Is this a signed sales contract or a preliminary approval?
It is a preliminary approval. The U.S. State Department cleared the possible sale and notified Congress; a separate procurement agreement must still be signed for the deal to become binding.
Has Argentina operated Black Hawks before?
No — according to the notification, the UH-60Ls covered by this sale would be the first Black Hawk helicopters in the Argentine Army’s inventory.
What fleet will they replace?
They are expected to begin replacing roughly 50 aging Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State, official FMS notification, September 10, 2026
- The Defense Post, “US Clears $140M Black Hawk Helicopter Sale to Argentina”, September 11, 2026
- Army Recognition, “US approves $140 million Black Hawk helicopter sale to Argentina”
