Why will the Brazilian Air Force pay US$230 million for Black Hawk helicopters without a bidding process? Understand the negotiations with the US

The Brazilian Air Force intends to acquire 11 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters of the United States for approximately $229,9M monthly (approximately R$ 1,2 billion), with non-requirement for bidding.

According to the government, the purchase will be made directly from an exclusive authorized supplier, within the BEST program (Blackhawk Exchange Sales Team), of the American Army.

The announcement comes as Brazil and the US negotiate the withdrawal of additional fees of 40% applied to Brazilian products and discuss a meeting between Squid e Donald Trump.

Why no bidding

The operation was classified as unenforceable because, according to the federal administration, there is no viable competition for the intended object.

In the case of the Black Hawks used in the program BEST, the supply channel is centralized by the US government and the ACE Aeronautics, an American company authorized to provide decommissioned Army aircraft with modernization packages.

Brazilian legislation allows this format when there is exclusive supplier and selection by competition proves impractical for the specific good.

In practice, this structure avoids a traditional auction and makes it possible to directly negotiate the available lot, with the configuration and schedule defined by the American side.

This is the same arrangement adopted by other countries that purchase military assets through the United States government.

What’s included in the package

The lot includes 11 UH-60L from the US Army, considered used and overhauled aircraft.

In addition to the acquisition, the contract covers updates and standardization of part of the existing fleet in Brazil, increasing the total number of FAB Black Hawks to 24 units.

The modernization phase includes avionics integration and logistics standardization, a measure that reduces maintenance costs and facilitates the training of crews and mechanics.

At the disclosed price, the purchase occurs “below the market price” of new aircraft, but brings with it the need for structural review and systems integration, a step that is usually contracted with the same authorized integrator.

Operational impact for the FAB

The expansion of the Black Hawk fleet has a direct effect on search and rescue (SAR), transport of troops and cargo, humanitarian support, aeromedical evacuation e operations in remote areas.

The UH-60L is a helicopter midsize with known performance in high availability missions.

By doubling the number of cells, the FAB gains the margin to maintain part of the fleet under maintenance without compromising the readiness of helicopter wings in different regions of the country.

Another benefit is the standardization.

A larger fleet of the same type simplifies the supply chain, training and doctrine, avoiding model fragmentation.

In terms of interoperability, the Black Hawk facilitates combined exercises with partner militaries in the region and beyond.

How the purchase will be made

The negotiation will be carried out through the Air Force’s logistics department and Brazilian Aeronautical Commission in Washington, which centralizes purchases from American suppliers.

The lawsuit cites the BEST program, which makes retired aircraft available for sale to partner governments, with overhaul and customization.

A ACE Aeronautics Appears as authorized supplier for this channel, justifying the non-enforceability.

The delivery schedule, the distribution of cells among FAB units and the details of the parts and training package will be defined in the following phases of the process and published in the corresponding official acts.

Relationship with the Brazil–US agenda

The decision occurs in parallel to trade negotiations between Brasilia and Washington.

After the increase in American tariffs — with 40% increase on Brazilian items, in addition to existing rates —, the Chancellor Mauro Vieira has been maintaining dialogue with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio to seek the reversal of the surcharges.

The teams also discuss holding a meeting between Lula and Trump, with no date or location yet publicly announced.

Brazilian authorities say the purchase of helicopters is still on track defense planning e technical criteria, and should not be conditioned on advances on the commercial front.

Still, the coincidence of agendas reinforces the diplomatic backdrop surrounding the acquisition and the talks on trade and investment.

Legal and transparency aspects

A non-requirement for bidding is provided for in the Bidding Law when competition is unfeasible — for example, in exclusive supply.

In such cases, the Administration is obliged to motivate the act, publish the extracts and keep the documentation available for control by the inspection bodies.

The Air Force informed the estimated value of the operation in $229,9M monthly and indicated the origin of the material as the BEST program, fulfilling the advertising stage.

Other technical attachments and the schedule will be released in the following phases.

Experts consulted by industry publications point out that the BEST alternative tends to be faster than purchases of new aircraft, in addition to taking advantage of existing stocks of airframes and parts, which accelerates entry into service.

In return, it requires maintenance planning and lifecycle management to ensure availability and safety throughout the cycle.

How much does it cost and what explains the price?

The amount of $229,9M monthly covers the transfer of 11 aircraft, kits and services modernization and standardization — including, as reported by specialized media, the update of 13 Black Hawks already operated by the FAB.

For reference, new medium helicopters in the same class often exceed this value per unit, depending on the configuration.

The option for used cells, however, requires in-depth inspections and adaptations to Brazilian standards, which justifies a robust support and integration package.

What comes next

With the authorization of non-enforceability and the indication of the supplier, the parties proceed to the contractual formalization, a stage that details scopes, guarantees, training and deadlines.

Upon signature, ACE and the American agencies begin the process of recovery, integration and testing, while the FAB prepares infrastructure, tooling and conversion course for crews and maintenance teams.

The operational expectation is increase availability rotary wing aircraft for daily missions and seasonal operations, such as natural disaster support.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Department continue to discuss rates e high-level agenda.

The Brazilian government states that the review of surcharges is a priority, but does not make it conditional on defense cooperation.

The outcome of these fronts could influence logistical costs, deadlines and future technological partnerships between the two countries.

The expansion of the Black Hawk fleet meets an objective capacity demand and occurs at a sensitive time for trade policy. In your opinion, should the purchase wait for a tariff agreement, or is the priority to ensure immediate readiness for critical missions?