Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA
SIKORSKY'S EFFORT to sell an armed version of its UH-60L Black Hawk to Kuwait is being blocked by the US Department of Defense (DoD), which is reluctant to release laser-designator systems for export to the Gulf state, say sources close to the deal.
The defence department has refused to clear a Hughes-developed combined forward-looking infra-red (FLIR)/laser designator for export to Kuwait as part of the armed Black Hawk package.
The armed Black Hawk is equipped with Rockwell's Hellfire2 laser-designated anti-armour missile.
The FLIR/laser-designator initially offered by Sikorsky is thought to be based on the AAQ-16 which is fitted to the MH-60G and MH-60L helicopters.
A second FLIR/laser designator, being developed by FLIR Systems using commercially available components, may be approved by the DoD, but any decision on this is thought to be at least several months off.
The new twist to Kuwait's attempts to procure an attack/ combat support helicopter comes after Sikorsky appeared to have stolen the Kuwaiti order from under the nose of McDonnell Douglas Helicopter System (MDHS). Originally, Kuwait had chosen the AH-64 Apache to meet its requirement, but the procurement fell apart.
MDHS had worked hard to sell Kuwait between 18 and 24 Apaches. Company officials had hoped to sign a contract by the end of 1994, but six months later, the Black Hawk/Hellfire deal was announced.
In mid-July, the Pentagon advised the US Congress that it intended to provide Kuwait with 16 of the military helicopters, 500 Hellfire 2 anti-armour missiles, 38 Hellfire launchers, four spare General Electric T700 engines, rockets, 20mm gun pods, 50calibre machine guns, and related logistics support worth an estimated $461 million.
Kuwait's purchase has been stalled, however, because of the US Defense Department's failure thus far to approve transfer of Hellfire's terminal aiming system.
MDHS is hoping to exploit any delay over the Black Hawk deal by attempting to revive Kuwait's interest in the Apache.
A Pentagon decision is expected by the end of 1995 on Sikorsky's unsolicited proposal for an additional tri-service procurement of the UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter.
Source: Flight International
