The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense will buy six UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for an estimated cost of €300 million ($335 million), a part of which will reportedly be paid by the US.
The new choppers will replace the country’s obsolete, Soviet-era Mi-8 helicopters. The agreement is slated to be signed in 2020, with the arrival of first of the new helicopters scheduled for 2024, Lithuanian news outlet, Defli, reported.
A portion of the €300 million cost of the contract will be covered by the US’s security assistance program. The helicopters will be bought directly from the US government.
The package includes training of personnel, spare parts and other necessary equipment.
“There is also a good chance that Lithuania will receive additional financial assistance from various US security assistance funds,” observed Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis.
