PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company, delivered the first four new-generation, European manufactured S-70M Black Hawk utility helicopters to Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, with two more aircraft on schedule to arrive by the end of 2023.
Purchased as part of the European Union’s VISION 2020 project, the intended missions for Romania’s new Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters include maritime and land search-and-rescue, firefighting, transport and medical emergency support.
An additional Black Hawk, procured within the European HeliPol project, is scheduled for delivery before the end of the year and is allocated for the Romanian Police, increasing its operational capacity.
The helicopters are part of a framework agreement that will see up to 12 Polish-built S-70M Black Hawks supplied to Romania over the next four years.
“Arrival of the first Black Hawk helicopters in Romania is a historic event. The Black Hawk is the most capable and dependable helicopter for crews who conduct vital lifesaving and firefighting missions,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky.
“These multi-role helicopters bring flexibility to conduct rescue missions at greater ranges and in the most challenging environments, and with increased survivability.”
Romania joins international fleet of Black Hawk operators
Romania joins a global family of Black Hawk operators and becomes the 11th country and 18th customer for Black Hawk helicopters built by PZL Mielec, Poland’s largest exporter of aerospace equipment.
The cabin of both the land and maritime variant Black Hawks will accommodate a medical suite designed and provided by DELTAMED, a Cluj-Napoca-based integrator of emergency vehicles outfitted for patient care and rescue.
The multi-role S-70 Black Hawk features digital avionics, powerful GE engines, high strength airframe structures and composite wide chord rotor blades that yield increased situational awareness, survivability, and performance.
