A weaponized version of Sikorksy's Polish-built S-70i Black Hawk helicopter will be on display during NATO's Anaconda 2016 exercise, Lockheed Martin said Tuesday.
The display is meant to showcase how the Black Hawk can be configured for an armed mission, as well as the ease with which a multi-role helicopter can adapt to meet the defense needs of Poland and NATO allies, the company said in a statement.
It will feature an array of the latest-generation NATO missiles, rockets, guns and targeting sensors, showing how the Polish-made model, built by Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec, can defend itself or perform an armed assault mission in support of ground forces, parent company Lockheed said.
The helicopter can also carry troops and cargo, provide combat search and rescue, customs and border protection, marine surveillance and coastal operations.
"Our goal is to provide militaries with the flexibility to quickly convert their Sikorsky aircraft into a weaponized platform to meet our customer's needs," PZL Mielec President Janusz Zakrecki said.
Black Hawk's open systems architecture allows for integration of a customer's current armament inventory, the company said.
New-generation sensors and weapons can also be integrated when they become available.
U.S. Black Hawk helicopters have taken part in the Anaconda training exercises, Lockheed said.
The exercise this month features 31,000 participants from 24 countries and aims to integrate Polish command and force structures into an allied, multinational environment.
