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Korean Air celebrated its 30 years of UH-60 Black Hawk technology cooperation with U.S. helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company during the 2021 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) at Seoul Airport in Seongnam.

Korean Air’s cooperation with Sikorsky began in 1990 with a license agreement for the UH-60P Black Hawk helicopter. Over the next nine years, Korean Air produced and delivered 130 aircraft to the Korean military. After the agreement, the company continued to cooperate with Sikorsky regarding essential technology for UH-60P maintenance, upgrades and performance enhancements.

“Sikorsky supported the local production of UH-60P in Korea, which created thousands of domestic jobs,” said Park Jung-woo, Senior Vice President of Korean Air Aerospace Business Division. “In the future, Korean Air will cooperate with domestic companies in connection with Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky through the UH-60P upgrade program, and will ensure that the ROK Black Hawk fleet will operate successfully for the rest of its life cycle.”

Robert Laing, Vice President of Lockheed Martin Korea, also emphasized, “Our relationship with Korean Air is highly collaborative. The proposed UH-60P upgrade will bring the latest digital flight technology into the helicopter so that future technological advances can be easily integrated. With this digital system in place, the transition to the next-generation rotorcraft over the next 20 years can be implemented naturally.”

More than 550 Blacks Hawks are being operated in the Asia region while over 4,000 Black Hawk helicopters are in operation across 30 countries. A global supply chain has been well established for decades, ensuring the Republic of Korea military can readily operate and maintain its UH-60P helicopter fleet for at least another 20 years.

Technical cooperation between Korean Air and Sikorsky will play a key role in upgrading the UH-60P fleet to the next generation.

Korean Air, as the top Korean aerospace company, will continue to work closely with Sikorsky, and contribute to bolster national defense capabilities through cooperating with domestic and overseas companies.