Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a business unit of Pentagon’s largest arms supplier Lockheed Martin, has won a U.S. Army’s contract modification valued at as much as $500 million for work on Lot 44 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Tuesday an agreement worth about $525,3 million for the Army MY IX Program Year 4, Lot 44, requirement of 38 UH-60M Army aircraft, and to exercise an option for two UH-60M FMS green aircraft.

Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022.

Today, the UH-60 Black Hawk makes up the Army’s largest rotary wing fleet with more than 2,100 airframes in the current inventory.

With multiple versions of the Black Hawk in service, the helicopter is considered the “workhorse” of Army aviation. Besides being the U.S Army’s primary tactical transport helicopter, approximately 1,200 UH-60s operate in 30 partner and allied nations.

UH-60M Black Hawk is a medium-lift, rotary-wing helicopter designed and manufactured by Sikorsky, to meet evolving warfighting needs. It is a modernised version of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

UH-60M has multi-mission capabilities and features a new airframe, advanced digital avionics and a powerful propulsion system. It can be used to perform tactical transport, utility, combat search-and-rescue, airborne assault, command-and-control, medical evacuation, aerial sustainment, search-and-rescue, disaster relief and fire-fighting. It offers improved situational awareness and greater survivability.