Australia decided on purchasing the UH-60M Black Hawks to allow a phase of French choppers currently in service and plagued by repairs. The US rotorcraft built by Lockheed Martin is used by many militaries worldwide.
Australia To Replace French Choppers
Australian army decided to go with Black Hawks to take over MRH-90 Taipan helicopters which are prone to constant maintenance, according to The Eurasian Times.
Disclosed is the schedule that will be delivered in 2023; the variant is an upgrade over a previous version of what was bought. The Black Hawk is made of helicopters Sikorsky built M variant with the latest add-ons. Development of the rotorcraft, which has been a mainstay of the US army since 1978, per Army Technology.
An export model is the S-70A of the UH-60, and there are 2,000 variants developed for US use. About 600 were for export by the builder.
In August 2022, a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency informed that Canberra asked for the sale of these choppers to replace its current fleet of multipurpose helicopters. Concerns over how reliable the French Taipans have prompted the purchase, ABC News reported.
A remark from Major General Jeremy King of the army added the UH-60 series Black Hawk is pivotal for the armed forces to give humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including foreign policy.
The unit is proven as a reliable and proven platform with readily available parts. It followed the remark ex- Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton in 2021 that the Taipan units would be replaced. Canberra says the helicopters from the US will be part of deterrence directed against China.
Recent disclosures that the US is getting a better next-gen helicopter, the Bell V-280 Valor next-generation assault aircraft. This move can be seen as a snub to France that made the MRH-90 helicopter; choosing the US as a political movement was well.
In September 2021, Canberra dropped French subs and got the AUKUS deal, a point of contention for the two nations.
Disclosure of concern by the Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that Paris did not have any misgivings that could cause a rift. The helicopter deal will not hinder any cooperation with France. Other countries like Sweden and Norway had also decided to retire the Taipan units they had due to maintenance issues and other problems.
The MRH-90 Taipan
A French-built helicopter with dual engines, medium-lift, multi-mission built by the Australian Aerospace, part of Eurocopter called Airbus helicopters. Australian forces have used it for carrying troops, dealing with terrorists, search and rescue, including special operations.
In 2019, about 47 of these choppers got grounded due to tail rotor blades needing repairs to be done as soon as possible. It got worse in 2021 when the defense department revealed it cost them about 437 million to get private units to replace army units.
Next, it was a deal breaker to decide on buying a better make and model. Soon Canberra settled on the Black Hawk M variant. Australia has decided the UH-60M Black Hawk will be better than French choppers currently in service but will be phased out,
Related Article: UH-60 Black Hawk: Multi-Use Helicopter of the US Army
