FMS: Colombia Wants UH-60L Medevac Helicopters

Released on Friday, October 14, 2005

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Colombia of two UH-60L MEDEVAC BLACK HAWK helicopters as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $43 million.

The Government of Colombia has requested a possible sale of two UH-60L MEDEVAC BLACK HAWK helicopters with T700-GE-701C or 401C engines, spare and repair parts, communications and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, contractor engineering and technical support services and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $43 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force in the war on drugs.

The proposed helicopter sale will be of critical value in the establishment of the Colombian Army Search and Rescue/MEDEVAC Program. Colombia has no transportation for search, rescue, or evacuating injured personnel from the battlefield. Current personnel losses in the field can be directly attributed to the lack of helicopters for search and rescue. These helicopters will help greatly in preventing loss of life now being felt because their injured personnel cannot be moved rapidly from the battlefield. Colombia, which already has UH-60 model helicopters in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing the MEDEVAC helicopters.

The prime contractor will be Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of Stratford, Connecticut. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.