The first batch of three MH-60R anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters arrived in India. Delivery of all 24 units purchased will be completed by 2025.
The first tranche of #MH 60R helos were received by #IndianNavy at @KochiAirport with the traditional welcome ceremony.
Delivered by @usairforce Special Air Assignment Mission Flight, these add to the 3 delivered earlier in Jun 21 in #UnitedStates.@SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/sTQ3LSxV0t— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) July 28, 2022
As previously reported, the Indian Navy ordered 24 Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters in 2020 to begin replacing the aging Westland Sea King and Ka-27PL.
The MH-60Rs were procured via FMS (Foreign Military Sales) at a cost of approximately $2.6 billion.
The helicopters arrived in India via a U.S. Air Force special mission flight.
According to the press release issued by DSCA, which approves the export of the helicopters to India, the package offered also included the following items:
- 6 extra APS-153(V) multi-mode radars for spares
- 12 spare T700-GE-401C turbines (each MH-60R carries 2)
- 6 spare optronic gimbals AN/AAS-44C(V)
- 1000 sonobuoys of types AN/SSQ-36/53/62
- 10 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (more will probably be purchased in the future)
- 5 AGM-114 M36-E9 captive training missiles
- 4 GM-114Q Hellfire training missiles
- 38 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) laser-guided rockets
- 30 MK-54 light torpedoes
- 24 machine guns (12 M-240D in 7.62mm caliber and 12 GAU-21 in 12.7mm caliber)
- 70 AN/AVS-9 north-surface vision systems
- 2 NSM missile emulator systems and 4 inert NSM captive training missiles.
See also: Indian Navy takes delivery of its eleventh Boeing P-8I Poseidon
With this purchase, the Indian Navy considerably modernizes and enhances its anti-submarine warfare capability from its surface ships, as the selected model incorporates the latest generation of sensors and other ASW mission equipment.
