According to the Official Gazette of the Republic of Brazil, the Ministry of Defense will directly award contracts to eleven Sikorsky UH-60L helicopters from the Black Hawk Exchange Sales Team (BEST) program of the US Army program.
Together with 13 UH-60L Black Hawks already in service with the Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB), all 24 aircraft are to be equipped with the Garmin G5000H glass cockpit (Ace-Deck) from Ace Aeronautics. The order is worth 197 million euros.
In May 2024, Brazil received an offer from the US government for the purchase of twelve new UH-60M Black Hawks via FMS. This offer of 813 million euros was apparently not signed. In November, the Brazilian army reported in a bulletin on the planned procurement of modernized aircraft.
Ace Aeronautics
Ace Aeronautics, LLC, headquartered in Guntersville, Alabama, and part of the Helicopter Alliance Group, is an American aerospace company specializing in the modernization, system integration and maintenance of rotorcraft – with a focus on the UH-60/S-70 Black Hawk platform.
The G5000H Integrated Flight Deck includes traffic and terrain avoidance, synthetic vision and digital weather display during the flight.
Since July 30, vAce Aeronautics has been fully authorized by the manufacturer Sikorskyto overhaul and upgrade older Black Hawk platforms – including the UH/HH-60L and S-70A helicopters – for international defense and commercial operators.
In June 2017, the Austrian Armed Forces opted for Ace Aeronautics to modernize its nine Black Hawks with Ace decks. In 2018, the company was also commissioned to procure three more Black Hawks for Austria and also equip them with Ace decks. Ace Aeronautics will be working closely with the Austrian Air Force for the next five years as part of a maintenance contract. The contract is worth around 95 million euros.
Brazil’s Black Hawks
Brazil had already acquired twelve UH-60L Black Hawks via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program in 2006. Since 2008, these have been in service with the 5°/8° GAv “Esquadrão Pantera” in Santa Maria (Rio Grande do Sul), 7°/8° GAv “Esquadrão Harpia” in Manaus (Amazonas) and 2°/10° GAv “Esquadrão Pelicano” in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul).
The helicopters are used for counter-narcotics and border protection operations in the Amazon region, disaster and humanitarian aid – including response to floods and landslides – as well as for troop and cargo transportation, VIP transportation and special operations.
Portuguese AF ???????? @Sikorsky #UH60A Black Hawk Integrated Flight Deck @GarminAviation G5000H by @AceAeronautics
????️ @fap_pt pic.twitter.com/lFSawmFHgz– Paulo Mata (@ironbirdphotos) September 29, 2024
More Ace customers
In addition to Austria, Portugal and Ukraine also have Ace Deck Black Hawks in action. Slovakia Slovakia decided at the end of 2024 to purchase a total of twelve machines through the company.
Just a few days ago, it was also announced that the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic is acquiring three Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks refurbished by Ace Aeronautics. The helicopters are to be used there for firefighting. With Brazil, the number of government customers of Ace Aeronautics grows to six.
Here for more news about Sikorsky and here for more news about the Brazilian armed forces.
