Boeing (BA -2.87%) made headlines when, in August, it announced it was expanding a 2007 deal to supply the government of Taiwan with 30 of the company's AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters. But next year, Taiwan will begin taking delivery of a separate order for military helicopters -- nearly twice as big.
The deal in question, for 60 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks, was originally estimated to be worth $3.1 billion to Sikorsky parent company United Technologies (RTX -0.35%) -- and on Friday, Taiwan's order got a little bit bigger. The Department of Defense has announced the award to Sikorsky of a $46.9 million firm-fixed-price contract to convert 26 U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft to Taiwan Army and Taiwan National Airborne Service Corps configurations. Delivery of the converted Black Hawks is expected to be complete by Aug. 30, 2016.
To date, Taiwanese media confirm that six of the 30 Boeing Apaches have already been delivered to Taiwan, with the remainder due for arrival next year. Deliveries of the Black Hawks will commence after that.
