Army is rapidly bringing its fleet of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters into service with the aircraft and crew flying more than 1,400 hours in support of introduction into service activities since the aircraft’s arrival in 2023.
Army soldiers and aviators have undertaken essential platform training, special operations training activities and first of class flight trials, supporting the continuous investment in a highly capable and ready Army. Training on the Black Hawk will continue in November, with test and evaluation of the aircraft’s capability, and counter-terrorism training to be conducted across the greater Sydney region.
Commander Army Aviation Command, Major General Stephen Jobson, said undergoing this training is an important milestone for the aviation capability. “The Black Hawk provides Army with the modern, credible and sustainable aviation capability it needs to meet the contemporary challenges of warfare,” Major General Jobson said. “This specialised, complex training will ensure our soldiers and aviators are able to rapidly respond to domestic emergencies and potential security threats. We thank the New South Wales community for the ongoing support, and appreciate your patience while we conduct essential training that is critical to maintaining our world-class counter-terrorism response.”
Ten UH-60M Black Hawks have been delivered to Australia since August 2023, with a further two aircraft scheduled for delivery in November 2024. All 40 aircraft are due to be delivered by 2030. The fleet is on track to achieve an initial operational capability in the coming months.
