Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, announced the signing of an agreement with Indonesian aerospace firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to enter into a strategic partnership to pursue a sales agreement of up to 24 Sikorsky S-70M Black Hawk® helicopters for the Republic of Indonesia.

“This agreement demonstrates our mutual interest with PTDI to provide S-70M Black Hawk helicopters to serve Indonesia’s security needs,” said Jeff White, Vice President of Global Business Development at Sikorsky.

“The Black Hawk is designed and built to the toughest military standards, and it can quickly and reliably deliver personnel and supplies to geographically-dispersed populations across a large archipelagic area such as Indonesia,” he added.

The agreement was finalized during Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the U.S. to meet with defense and industry officials in support of Indonesia’s military modernization and interoperability efforts.

“We are confident that this strategic cooperation between PTDI and Lockheed Martin will result in added values gained for PTDI's capability in integration, customization, modification and system upgrade for the helicopter's completion,” said Gita Amperiawan, President Director at PTDI.

“In addition, with the opportunity to become an official Sikorsky supplier, PTDI will also be able to expand its aerostructure business,” he noted.

Built at Lockheed Martin’s PZL Mielec facility in Poland, the highly sought after S-70M Black Hawk has earned its standing as the trusted utility aircraft for operators worldwide, featuring unmatched multi-mission versatility and military-grade airworthiness capable of operating in extreme weather conditions, day or night.

PT Dirgantara Indonesia, also known as PTDI is one of the indigenous aerospace company in Asia with core competences in aircraft design, development and test, aircraft structure manufacturing, aircraft production, and aircraft services for both civilian and military. Since established in August 1976, under the auspices of the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises, PTDI has successfully developed and grown its capability as an aerospace industry by delivering more than 460 units of aircraft to many customers all around the globe.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.