Mexico to Acquire 11 Black Hawk Helicopters

Secretary of National Defense General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced at a press conference that the necessary procedures are continuing for the acquisition of 11 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, with their delivery expected in 2028 and 2029.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Navy Admiral Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles revealed that seven ship-based helicopters will be acquired for deployment aboard naval vessels, along with 10 Mi-17 helicopters to strengthen the Navy’s aviation fleet.

Trevilla also highlighted that, in addition to the helicopters, two new Super Hercules transport aircraft will be incorporated into the Mexican Air Force.

“There are 11 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Two Super Hercules will also be acquired, but they are primarily intended to support operations carried out under the DN-III Plan, as well as firefighting efforts; they are very much needed. As for the helicopters, we have 42 ‘helibaldes,’ and they will also be used for troop transport and as air ambulances,” Trevilla explained.

Last September, the Mexican Air Force (FAM) announced the acquisition of a second Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules strategic transport aircraft, strengthening Mexico’s air mobility capabilities. The arrival of the second Super Hercules follows the first purchase announced in January 2026, which made Mexico the first country in Latin America to join the global Super Hercules fleet.

In November 2026, the U.S. Department of State approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Mexico of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment, with an estimated value of approximately US$1.07 billion.

The approval confirmed the Mexican government’s request to purchase 11 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, 27 T700-GE-701D engines, 27 EAGLE-M+429 integrated inertial navigation/GPS systems, and 27 AN/ARC-231A RT-1987 very-high-frequency (VHF)/ultra-high-frequency (UHF)/line-of-sight satellite communication radios. The package also includes personnel training and training equipment, as well as engineering, technical, and logistical support services.

In addition, the Secretary of the Navy stated that the Navy had requested 10 Mi-17 helicopters and seven ship-based helicopters, which would be used for troop transport and to provide assistance to the population.

In November 2025, the Mexican Navy announced that German shipyard Fassmer had been contracted to redesign its new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), with the goal of optimizing the structural design, shaping the hull, and reducing its weight. The redesign is based on a design owned by the Mexican Navy, likely that of the Oaxaca-class ocean patrol vessel.

Meanwhile, the Mexican Navy’s planned acquisition of the Mi-17 helicopters is notable given the complicated global market for aircraft of this type, particularly the limited availability of aircraft and spare parts.

The Navy’s fleet currently includes 26 helicopters of this family in different versions: 22 Mi-8MTV-1 helicopters, which are equivalent to the Mi-17, and four Mi-17V-5s. Of these, 21 are currently in service across eight naval aviation squadrons.

The acquisition process is currently underway, and the units are expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2029, according to the secretaries.