The US Army has awarded a $37.6m contract to an American aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation to provide army helicopters with engine inlet barrier filter (IFB) kits.

Under the contract, the company will equip two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and one special-purpose HH-60M helicopter with ECP 0613R1 and 0614R1 and three auxiliary power unit (APU) IBF kits.

The APU IBF kits will support helicopter deployments and rotations, maintenance requirements and unit level training at the various desert / urban training centres prior to deployment.

Work will be carried out in Stratford, Connecticut. It is expected to be complete by December 2012.