March 14 (SeeNews) - Romania's economy minister said on Wednesday that local aviation company Romaero and US aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky, part of Lockheed Martin Corp, signed an agreement to set up a regional equipment and maintenance center for Black Hawk helicopters in Romania.
The Bucharest-based center will be the only one authorized by Lockheed Martin to equip and maintain the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk multi-mission helicopter in Central Europe, the economy ministry said in a press release.
"The agreement signed today confirms the potential of Romania's industry, which is able to manufacture products with high added value. We look forward to seeing the economic effects of this agreement on the local industry and economy," economy minister Danut Andrusca said.
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter is the world's most widely used multi-mission helicopter, with over 4,500 units in service in the US Armed Forces and in more than 20 states, the ministry said. The helicopter will have a service life beyond 2050.
"The qualities of the Black Hawk helicopter are impressive: it can carry out missions in all seasons, can fly in storms, day or night, is very fast and can carry a large number of passengers, who it can protect from gunfire with a caliber of up to 23 mm," Romaero's director general Remus Vulpescu said.
US-based Lockheed Martin is a group specializing in the research, development, production and integration of advanced military technology, a leading aerospace builder and the Pentagon's largest aerospace and technological equipment provider. Among the equipment produced by Lockheed Martin, the Romanian Armed Forces are already operating the F-16 fighters and the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.
Headquartered in Bucharest, Romaero is a key provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul services to the aviation industry. Its clients include Bombardier, Boeing, Patria, BAE-Systems and Raytheon Aircraft.
Romania, which joined NATO in 2004, plans to spend 9.8 billion euro ($12.2 billion) until 2026 to boost its defence capabilities.
($=0.8084 euro)