MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US approves possible sale of four Black Hawk helicopters to Argentina for US$140 million

According to the statement, the sale supports US foreign policy goals and national security objectives by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally

The US State Department has approved a possible sale of four UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment to Argentina at an estimated cost of US$140 million, and notified Congress of the transaction, which has a review period before it can proceed.

The notification, issued on September 10 under transmittal number 26-79, states that Argentina's government requested to buy the four aircraft and two T700-GE-701D engines. The package also includes a rescue hoist, a fast rope insertion extraction system, a cargo hook, a Bambi bucket for firefighting, identification transponders, high and very high frequency radios, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, spare parts, training equipment and logistical support. The principal contractor will be Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company based in Stratford, Connecticut. No offset agreement is known to be associated with the sale, and it does not require assigning additional US personnel to the country.

According to the statement, the sale supports US foreign policy goals and national security objectives by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally it describes as a force for political stability and economic progress in South America. The stated uses are border security, countering transnational crime and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. The text adds that the sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region or adversely affect US defense readiness.

The US ambassador in Buenos Aires, Peter Lamelas, announced the decision on the social network X and said the aircraft would arrive refurbished and in staggered deliveries. Neither detail appears in the official statement.

The notification comes days after Trump sidestepped a question on whether the United States would come to Britain's aid in any future conflict over the Falklands. Asked by British channel GB News, he said he had followed the 1982 war closely, that the British had conducted themselves well and that the archipelago is a long way away. He added that the United Kingdom “was not there to help me” during the military campaign against Iran and that he had asked NATO and the previous British prime minister to send ships. Asked separately by the BBC whether the US position was under review, he replied that he reviews every position and that this is one of many.

The United States has never taken a formal position on sovereignty over the archipelago, though it has recognized British de facto administration. A spokesman for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Tom Wells, called the British position long-standing and unwavering and pointed to the 2013 referendum, in which 99.8% of voters chose to retain the status of a British overseas territory. Nile Gardiner, a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher associated with the Heritage Foundation, told GB News — the same channel that interviewed Trump — that no administration official had indicated to him that the position would change, and he referred specifically to the helicopter sale.

Notifications of this kind typically originate months before they are published.