Qatar Requests Black Hawk FMS Deal

Qatar may be the next customer for the UH-60M Black Hawk, it has emerged. According to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) release on 13 June, the government of Qatar is negotiating a possible foreign military sale (FMS) of 12 UH-60Ms as well as engines and critical mission equipment, including missile warning systems and machine guns.


The deal is potentially worth up to $1.1 billion and follows on from a similar request for MH-60R Seahawks made by the Qatari government in September 2011.

The DSCA says the proposed sale will help 'to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political and economic progress in the Middle East'.


It added: 'The proposed sale of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters will improve Qatar's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical oil and natural gas infrastructure and significant national events.'


According to the DSCA release, any finalised deal will include a Technical Assistance Fielding Team (TAFT) for in-country pilot and maintenance training. To support the requirement, a team of 12 personnel including one military team leader and 11 contractors would be deployed to Qatar for approximately three years to assist the Qatari armed forces.

The FMS request by Qatar is believed to be part of an ongoing competition for a new utility helicopter. The Black Hawk is understood to be up against the NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH), while a requirement for a naval helicopter is being contested between the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) and the MH-60R Seahawk.


The chosen family of aircraft is likely to replace the long serving Westland Commando helicopters which are used by the Qatari armed forces for troop transport as well as the anti-surface warfare mission (ASuW).

Qatar is currently undertaking a wide-ranging re-capitalisation of its armed forces. The nation's previously non-existent transport fleet is now equipped with C-17s and C-130Js while recently purchased AgustaWestland AW139s form the backbone of the helicopter fleet.