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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 ↗
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. Published studies put O&S anywhere from ~55% to ~70% of lifecycle cost depending on platform and method, which is why this is a band and not a single number. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
45 comparable systems from 11 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: helicopters built by another manufacturer. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 278 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 592 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 5,790 m |
| Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat. | 4 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 4 |
|---|
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 |
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 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 4,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 35 |
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
Head-to-head comparisons
UH-60M Black Hawk vs
Z-10 
Mi-28NM 
T129 ATAK 
LAH 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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