Sikorsky to explore helicopter production in Saudi Arabia

[The SC]

Feb 23 Saudi Arabia's Taqnia Aeronautics and Sikorsky, owned by U.S. company Lockheed Martin, have agreed to look at producing Black Hawk helicopters in the kingdom, Sikorsky said on Tuesday.

Faced with weak oil prices, Riyadh has said it wants to diversify its economy, create skilled jobs and boost the private sector, including raising participation in the defence industry.

Lockheed is rapidly expanding its international sales and wants to strengthen its presence in key markets such as Saudi Arabia.

The world's top oil exporter last year abandoned decades of backroom politics to lead allied countries in a war in neighbouring Yemen as part of a wider confrontation with rival Iran and is seeking to strengthen its military capabilities.

"The new agreement outlines the investment, technology and skills needed to establish production jobs for Saudi citizens, and could lead to direct involvement in the assembly of Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk helicopters in the kingdom," Sikorsky said.

Black Hawk helicopters are operated by the kingdom's Defence Ministry, National Guard and Interior Ministry, Sikorsky said. It has also supplied Saudi Arabia with S-92 commercial heavy lift helicopters and Seahawk helicopters under the U.S. government's foreign military sales programme, it added.

http://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-sikorsky-idUSL8N1622X7

 

[The SC]

TAQNIA Aeronautics and Sikorsky Sign Agreement to Explore Helicopter Business Opportunities in Saudi Arabia



New agreement could lead to involvement in helicopter assembly

A Sikorsky BLACK HAWK helicopter operated by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.
RIYADH, Feb. 23, 2016 – Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT) today signed an agreement with Taqnia Aeronautics to jointly explore helicopter production opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The new agreement outlines the investment, technology and skills needed to establish production jobs for Saudi citizens, and could lead to direct involvement in the assembly of Sikorsky S-70 BLACK HAWK helicopters in the Kingdom.

Signing the agreement are: (seated left) Anand Stanley, Sikorsky Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa; and Major General (retired) Ali Al-Ghamdi, CEO, TAQNIA Aeronautics. Standing (left to right): Alan Chinoda, Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia; Steve O’Bryan, Vice President, Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training; and Brigadier General (retired) Hani Radwan, TAQNIA Director of Operations
The agreement was signed on the opening day of the AFED Local Manufacturing Exhibition in Riyadh by Major General (retired) Ali Al-Ghamdi, Taqnia Aeronautics CEO and Anand Stanley, Sikorsky Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, in the presence of His Highness Prince Dr. Turki Al Saud, President of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Chairman of Taqnia, Alan Chinoda, Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia, and Steve O’Bryan, Vice President, Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training.

“Entering into this agreement will give Taqnia Aeronautics the foundation to create a helicopter assembly operation in Saudi Arabia and assist in developing local content”, said Major General (retired) Ali Al-Ghamdi, Taqnia Aeronautics CEO. “Together we are forging a relationship with a company owned by Lockheed Martin, a global technology leader, which can help grow Saudi involvement in capabilities that are important to the Kingdom’s sustained economic growth.”

“Since Lockheed Martin first partnered with the Kingdom in 1965, we’ve been privileged to be part of a significant transformation occurring in Saudi Arabia,” said Alan Chinoda, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia. “We are proud to be facilitating the kind of knowledge-based collaboration that accelerates job growth, technology sharing, and industrial partnership in the Kingdom.”

Sikorsky’s Anand Stanley added: “We have today laid the foundation for a potential new business where Saudi nationals will support the Kingdom’s continued need for rotary wing products for many years to come.”

In Saudi Arabia, Lockheed Martin partners with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology and Al-Faisal University in Riyadh, helping to develop the next generation of talented young Saudi professionals. The company has also partnered with Babson College to launch a Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense, Ministry of National Guard and Ministry of Interior currently operate a fleet of Sikorsky BLACK HAWK helicopters. The Ministry of Interior also operates Sikorsky’s S-92® commercial heavy lift helicopters. Sikorsky is under contract to deliver SEAHAWK® helicopters via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program to the Ministry of Defense.

About Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, based in Stratford, Connecticut, is a world leader in aircraft design, manufacture and service. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that – with the addition of Sikorsky – employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

https://defence.pk/threads/sikorsky-to-explore-helicopter-production-in-saudi-arabia.467506/

 

[Al-Andalus]

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"A great example is our plan to explore new helicopter production opportunities in Saudi Arabia in partnership with Taqnia Aeronautics. The agreement could lead to direct involvement in the assembly of Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk helicopters in the Kingdom."​

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/speeches/0315-hewson-2016-media-day.html

Which will become a reality in 2019:

https://twitter.com/x/status/810524067346481152

For the Arabic speakers:

This Twitter below is a diamond mine:

https://twitter.com/SaudiProject

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A lot of encouraging news lately. Great to see.

 

[The SC]

Actually, the Black Hawk will be produced in KSA by 2019..

 

[graphican]

Black hawk, nothing potent like Cobras and Apaches. Keep them distant from every potent tech and technique.

It would be in the best interest of Saudis to look towards Russia.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Nice chopper, congrats to Saudia on this Project

 

[The SC]

Black hawk, nothing potent like Cobras and Apaches. Keep them distant from every potent tech and technique.

It would be in the best interest of Saudis to look towards Russia.

The S-70 can perform a wide array of missions, including air cavalry, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation: several versions are used to transport the President of the United States, which while carrying the President is known as "Marine One". In air assault operations it can move a squad of 11 combat troops and equipment or carry the 105 mm M102 howitzer, thirty rounds of ammunition, and a six-man crew. Alternatively, it can carry 2,600 lb (1,200 kg) of cargo or sling load 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) of cargo. The S-70 is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics, such as the Global Positioning System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-70

 

[Al-Andalus]

The S-70 can perform a wide array of missions, including air cavalry, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation: several versions are used to transport the President of the United States, which while carrying the President is known as "Marine One". In air assault operations it can move a squad of 11 combat troops and equipment or carry the 105 mm M102 howitzer, thirty rounds of ammunition, and a six-man crew. Alternatively, it can carry 2,600 lb (1,200 kg) of cargo or sling load 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) of cargo. The S-70 is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics, such as the Global Positioning System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-70

Don't bother as PDF armchair generals and keyboard warriors always know better.