NEWTOWN, Conn. - The government of Qatar wants to buy 12 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters from the U.S., according to a notice to Congress by the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The potential foreign military sale agreement involves the Black Hawks and various supplemental equipment (AVS-6 night vision goggles, M240H machine guns, and AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets) at the estimated cost of $1.112 billion.
Since 2008, the Qataris have placed an emphasis on fixed- and rotary-wing transport acquisitions to upgrade Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) capabilities. As its rotary-wing solution, Qatar purchased the AgustaWestland AW139 multi-mission helicopter.
Now its focus is turning to the protection of sensitive infrastructure such as oil and natural gas facilities - a role which the Black Hawks would be expected to fill. Currently the only helicopter in the QAAF able to fill such a role is the Aerospatiale SA 342L Gazelle, of which the service has 11. These helicopters completed a major upgrade in June 2011.
The Qataris have also focused on protecting their coastline and shipping interests with a request made to the U.S. last September for six MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters. These would supplement and gradually replace the aging Westland Commando Mk 2s and Mk 3s that were acquired in the 1980s.
