Military
This Country Is Buying the Most Black Hawk Helicopters, and It's Not Even Close
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The UH-60 Black Hawk, introduced by Sikorsky Aircraft in 1979, is one of the most popular military helicopters worldwide. Serving as a key element of the U.S. Army and numerous other militaries globally, it performs various roles, including search and rescue, reconnaissance, transport, and close-air support. (These are the future military helicopters of the world.)
One notable variant of the Black Hawk is the SH-60 Seahawk, extensively used by the U.S. Navy. This multi-mission maritime helicopter’s primary roles are anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue missions. Additionally, it engages in anti-surface warfare, surveillance, and logistics. The Seahawk is armed with torpedoes, depth charges, and anti-ship missiles to handle diverse threats.
Here 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at which countries are buying these military assets. To identify the countries buying the most Black Hawk helicopters, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries according to the number of Black Hawk helicopters on order. We included supplemental information regarding active Black Hawk helicopters in respective fleets, military branches that will be using these aircraft, and what variants of the Black Hawk helicopter are on order or are currently in service.
Like many helicopters on this list, the Seahawk is an adaptation of the U.S. Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk and has been exported to multiple countries, proving its effectiveness in military operations worldwide.
These helicopters are typically equipped with machine guns and can carry Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles. However, their versatility allows for multiple configurations depending on the mission. Special forces units, for example, have specific armaments tailored to their operational needs. However, countries that are buying these helicopters will have the final say in how they are outfitted. (These are the nations with the largest fleets of military helicopters.)
Here is a look at the countries buying the most Black Hawk Helicopters:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: fikretozk / iStock via Getty Images
The Black Hawk helicopter is a critical asset in modern military operations, developed by Sikorsky Aircraft. Since its introduction in the 1970s, it has become renowned for its versatility and reliability across diverse environments. The helicopter’s design and capacity to carry a significant payload make it a backbone of tactical support, enhancing the operational effectiveness of military forces globally.
17. Latvia
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 1
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 3
- Military branches: Latvian Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/UH-40M
16. Austria
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 3
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 9
- Military branches: Austrian Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70A/UH-60M
15. Brazil
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 3
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 26
- Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy, Brazilian Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70, S-70/UH-60L/M
14. Lithuania
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 6
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 0
- Military branches: Lithuanian Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/UH-60M
13. Norway
Source: thenationalguard / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 6
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 0
- Military branches: Royal Norwegian Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R
12. Mexico
Source: thenationalguard / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 7
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 24
- Military branches: Mexican Air Force, Mexican Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R/UH-60M, S-70/UH-60M
11. Spain
Source: cne-cna-c6f / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 8
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 18
- Military branches: Spanish Naval Aviation
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/SH-60B/F/MH-60R
10. South Korea
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 12
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 139
- Military branches: Republic of Korea Air Force, Republic of Korea Army, Republic of Korea Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/HH-60P, S-70/MH-60R/UH-60P, S-70/UH-60L/P
9. Taiwan
Source: 153602026@N06 / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 12
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 61
- Military branches: Republic of China Air Force, Republic of China Army, Republic of China Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R, S-70/UH-60M
8. India
Source: njnationalguard / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 18
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 6
- Military branches: Indian Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R
7. Indonesia
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 24
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 0
- Military branches: Indonesian Army
- Black Hawk variants: S-70i
6. Japan
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 25
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 214
- Military branches: Japan Air Self-Defence Force, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, Japan Ground Self-Defence Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/SH-60J/K/UH-60J, S-70/UH-60J, S-70/UH-60JA
5. Philippines
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 32
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 15
- Military branches: Philippine Air Force
- Black Hawk variants: S-70i
4. Australia
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 50
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 26
- Military branches: Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R, S-70/UH-60M
3. Greece
Source: usarmyeurope_images / Flickr
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 56
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 11
- Military branches: Hellenic Army Aviation, Hellenic Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/MH-60R, S-70/UH-60
2. Saudi Arabia
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 203
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 81
- Military branches: Royal Saudi Air Force, Saudi Arabian National Guard, Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/HH/UH-60M, S-70/i/UH-60L/M, S-70/MH-60R
1. United States
- Black Hawk helicopters on order: 455
- Active Black Hawk helicopters: 2,853
- Military branches: United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy
- Black Hawk variants: S-70/EH/UH-60A/L, S-70/EH/HH/MH/UH-60, S-70/HH-60G/U/W/MH-60G
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