Sikorsky Aerospace Services Expands In-Country BLACK HAWK Maintenance Team for Colombian Army

July 11, 2012 defpro.com

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW, London, UK | Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) today announced the expansion of an existing contract that doubles the size of the in-country maintenance support team for the Colombian Army UH-60 BLACK HAWK fleet. The Colombian Army Aviation – part of the Army’s Combined Arms Team – has acquired Scheduled and Unscheduled Maintenance Services for its fleet of UH-60 helicopters to ensure sustained support for operations mandated by the Colombian Army. Forty-two Sikorsky-trained technicians will perform Phase Maintenance Inspections and 120-hour inspections at the Aviation Maintenance Base in Tolemaida. The ongoing maintenance contract is renewable annually. Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

“Colombia – with the fourth-largest BLACK HAWK fleet in the world – is an important anchor customer in Latin America. Our ability to augment in-country support continues to improve the operational readiness of the Colombian Armed Services,” said Steve Bohlman, Director, Commercial and International Military Customer Support. “Additionally, we are on the verge of inaugurating the S-70 BLACK HAWK Helicopter Training Facility at the Colombian Air Force Base in Melgar. These pursuits further SAS’ commitment to customers in the region. We remain focused on providing support capabilities directly where our customers operate.”

Requisite maintenance services for the fleet will be executed by the Sikorsky Team whose OEM expertise will assure that operational readiness is a priority. The technical and tactical characteristics of the UH-60L fleet provide the mobility and penetration required by the Colombian Army to successfully execute a variety of dynamic missions. In pursuit of national order and security, the UH-60L fleet performs air assault, reconnaissance, supply and other missions.