MoD: High-skilled jobs could be coming to Gosport as Lockheed Martin UK agrees Black Hawk helicopters deal

Global aerospace company Lockheed Martin UK, which conducts the Black Hawk helicopter programme, has signed an agreement with StandardAero – a maintenance, repair and overhaul based in Fareham Road.

The company will be Team Black Hawk’s aircraft assembly, testing, delivery, maintenance and integration partner. Highly-skilled jobs could be brought to the town if the UK government chooses the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter as its New Medium Helicopter.

This would replace the current aircraft of choice, the RAF Puma, and other medium helicopter types. Other competitors, Leonardo Helicopters based in Yeovil and Airbus Helicopters based in Broughton, are also submitting plans.

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Simon Jones, StandardAero group managing director, said: “StandardAero is delighted to be teaming with Lockheed Martin UK on this once-in-a-generation helicopter programme. For StandardAero UK it will mean upwards of 175 new, highly skilled, jobs in one of the more economically deprived local areas of the UK, with many more throughout our UK-based supply chain.”

In total, 660 roles will be created in the partnership, which also includes companies such as Martin-Baker Aircraft Company in Denham, Curtiss-Wright in Christchurch, Chelton in Marlow, Inzspire in Lincoln, C3iA Solutions in Poole, Nova Systems in Filton, and Ascent Flight Training & CAE at RAF Benson. They will be rolled out between 2025 and 2030.

The partnership was announced at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition on Monday. Lockheed Martin UK laid out plans to participate in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) new medium helicopter (NMH) requirement.

The company estimates that nearly 40 per cent of the production and assembly of Black Hawk helicopters will take place in the UK. Plans are also in place to create £470 million worth of export opportunities for UK partners manufacturing sub-systems and components over the next 10 years.

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Lockheed Martin UK chief executive Paul Livingston said: “The newest generation of the Black Hawk is proven, versatile and ready now. It’s not only the right choice for UK Defence, it’s the right choice for UK industry and it will create a generation of high-skilled jobs here in Britain.”

The Black Hawk helicopters will be built to met MoD specific requirements. Alongside the helicopter platform programme, the company will also provide robust training capabilities, maintenance and spares packages, component integration and overall programme management as part of the deal.

More than 5,000 Black Hawk aircraft have been produced and sold worldwide.