U.S. Approves $1.5 Billion Sale of 12 UH-60M Black Hawks to Austria

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale to Austria of 12 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters and related equipment; for the package, announced at a ceiling of about $1.5 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered its formal notification to Congress in mid-June.

The step completes one of the mandatory stages before a Foreign Military Sale (FMS—a government-to-government arms sale conducted through the U.S. government) can proceed. The figure in the notice is not a signed contract value; if Congress does not object, it indicates the ceiling and maximum scope of the package that may be negotiated. The final quantity, price and delivery schedule will be settled in contract talks between the two sides.

What the package covers

The approved scope includes 26 T700-GE-701D engines to power the 12 UH-60M helicopters. The list also covers electronic-warfare and self-protection systems: missile warning systems, infrared countermeasures and radar warning receivers are among the items intended to improve the helicopters’ survivability in a threat environment. Training, spare parts, logistics support and technical assistance are likewise included.

This notification updates Austria’s earlier request, approved in 2024 at a value of about $1.05 billion. The new notice both raises the ceiling and revises the equipment list; the quantities and models of some systems were updated, while certain items absent from the first request were added. Such revisions are seen as a normal result of the buyer’s requirement definition and integration plan maturing over time.

Why is Austria’s fleet being renewed?

The UH-60M procurement is part of the Austrian Armed Forces’ medium-term modernization plan. The helicopters are intended to replace the aging Agusta-Bell AB212 fleet that the country has kept in service for many years. Coming from the same family as the S-70 Black Hawks Austria already operates, the UH-60M offers compatibility advantages with existing infrastructure in training, maintenance and logistics.

First deliveries are expected to begin around 2028. Frequently used in the demanding terrain of the Alps for missions such as disaster response, search and rescue, and personnel and cargo transport, the helicopters represent a capability with a civil-protection dimension as much as a military one for Austria, which maintains its neutral status.

European and NATO context

The Black Hawk family has a broad user base in Europe. Austria is not a NATO member but works closely with the alliance, and its choice shows that shared platforms and spare-parts pools continue to carry weight on the continent. With numerous European militaries operating UH-60 variants, maintenance chains and joint exercises benefit from an economy of scale.

Competition in the utility-helicopter market, meanwhile, is diversifying. Turkey’s domestically produced T70 (a licensed and indigenized derivative of the Black Hawk) and the lighter-class T625 Gökbey are among the alternatives whose names have come up in export talks in recent years. In Austria’s case, the choice appears shaped by family compatibility with the existing S-70 fleet and by the continuity that a U.S.-routed supply channel provides; the sale can thus be read as a reminder that different markets move with different priorities.

What comes next?

The next stage in the FMS process is for Congress not to object to the notification within its statutory review period. Once that threshold is cleared, the parties can begin work on a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) setting out the exact quantity, price and delivery terms. For that reason, the $1.5 billion figure should be read not as the final amount to be paid, but as the ceiling of the process.

Open-source verification notes

• That the sale is a possible/proposed FMS rather than a signed contract was confirmed by the standard wording of DSCA and U.S. State Department notifications.
• The $1.5 billion ceiling, 12 UH-60M and 26 T700-GE-701D engine figures are consistent across multiple independent defense sources.
• The notification date to Congress appears in sources as June 17–18, 2026, which is why the text uses “mid-June.”
• Sources state that the previous 2024 case was ~$1.05 billion and that the current notification updates it.
• Because the exact quantities and models of the electronic-warfare/self-protection items are reported with small differences across sources, the text gives item types in general terms.

Sources

• DSCA – Austria: UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters (dsca.mil)
• U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
• Army Technology – US approves possible $1.5bn Black Hawk helicopter sale to Austria
• AeroTime – US approves revised $1.5 billion Black Hawk sale to Austria
• Defense Daily – Austria In Line For Potential $1.5 Billion Black Hawk Buy