The company plan includes 40% of total Black Hawk production and assembly in the UK and the creation of some 660 UK jobs
Lockheed Martin UK has announced last week at DSEI 2023 its bid for the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement, including diverse opportunities for British industry and jobs.
The company is competing with Airbus, Boeing, and Leonardo to replace the old UK fleet of Puma and three other variants through the UK NMH programme, worth €1.1 billion (£1 billion). In London, Lockheed Martin UK unveiled its Black Hawk Team with UK partners, laying out the potential of the collaboration, including nearly 40% of total Black Hawk production and assembly to be carried out in the UK and the creation of some 660 UK jobs a year between 2025 and 2030.
Lockheed Martin UK also estimated €546 million (£470 million) export opportunities for UK partners manufacturing sub-systems and components over the next ten years. The figures include ongoing fleet sustainment, supporting around 320 jobs annually until the UK Black Hawk fleet is in service.
UK participation in the Black Hawk programme would also allow the UK industry to participate in Lockheed Martin’s next-generation rotorcraft solutions development and production, translated into a potential 45-year pipeline of work and exports for UK companies, Lockheed Martin UK announced.
In the meantime, the three other contenders have also announced their industrial offers, which include increasing local jobs and leveraging long-standing domestic helicopter-making credibility.
Leonardo, which has built helicopters in the UK for many years, promoted the Yeovil factory where its AW149 helicopter would be built as the “Home of British Helicopter.” Meanwhile, Airbus proposed to assemble its H175M at its commercial jet wing factory in North Wales.
The UK MoD published the official New Medium Helicopter Contract requirement in May 2022. On 31 October, the ministry notified the four aerospace giants Airbus, Boeing, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin that they were selected as potential manufacturers for the programme after passing the pre-qualification assessment.
Lockheed Martin and its competitors are currently awaiting the MoD’s formal issuance of the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN).
