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United States Lockheed Martin
UH-60M Black Hawk
Latest production model of the U.S. Army's utility tactical transport helicopter, built by Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company) with more powerful engines and a wide-chord rotor. Serves as the Army's primary air assault and medevac platform.
In service since 2006 · 35 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
296
km/h
592
km range
5,790
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $21,300,000, Approximate flyaway unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 35 operators
In service since 2006. Status: active · ~4,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$53M – $75M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the UH-60M Black Hawk can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Hellfire missile (armed variants) Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 296 km/h Stronger than 48% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 278 km/h Top 9% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 592 km Stronger than 41% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 5,790 m Stronger than 49% of helicopters
- Rate of climb
How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.
- 4 m/s Bottom 2% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 4 Stronger than 43% of helicopters
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 19.76 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 5.13 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 5,224 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 9,979 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 4
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 11 Stronger than 18% of helicopters
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 1,994 hp Stronger than 60% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $21,300,000 Stronger than 75% of helicopters
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 4,000 Top 4% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 35 Top 6% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk has a maximum speed of 296 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk has a maximum range of 592 km.
How much does the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk has a combat weight of 9,979 kg.
How many crew does the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk require? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk requires a crew of 4.
What engine does the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk use? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk is powered by the General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk is operated by 35 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk cost? +
The Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk has an approximate unit cost of 21,300,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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