In a significant boost to India's defence preparedness, the Ministry of Defence has signed a sustainment package for its fleet of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters manufactured by the US company Lockheed Martin. The sustainment agreement, valued at 946 million dollars, is expected to strengthen the Indian Navy's maritime operations and enhance long term fleet readiness. According to the announcement, the package will greatly improve India's ability to conduct maritime surveillance, anti submarine warfare and multi mission operations across the Indian Ocean region. Officials noted that the enhanced support ecosystem around the MH 60R Seahawks will help build better interoperability with the United States and other regional partners.
"Great news in our defense relationship with India. India's Ministry of Defense signed a sustainment package for its 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, developed by Lockheed Martin. This $946 million dollar package will enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime capabilities, build interoperability with the U.S. and regional partners, and makes both our nations safer and more prosperous," the US' State Department said in a post on X.
What did defence ministry say?
The defence ministry said it signed Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs) with the US for sustainment support of the MH60R helicopter fleet through follow-on support and supply for five years at an approximate value of Rs 7,995 crore. MH-60R, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation, is an all-weather helicopter designed to support multiple missions with state of the art avionics and sensors. The LOAs were inked under the foreign military sales programme of the US.
India had signed an agreement with the US for procurement of 24-MH 60Rs in February 2020. The MH 60R Seahawk is a maritime variant of the Blackhawk helicopter. The sustainment support is a comprehensive package which includes provisioning of spares, support equipment, product support, training and technical support, repair and replenishment of components, according to the defence ministry.
Why the MH-60R Matters for India
The MH-60R Seahawk is regarded as one of the most advanced multi-role maritime helicopters in service today. Designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface operations, maritime surveillance, search and rescue and medical evacuation, it offers state-of-the-art capability for modern navies. Equipped with advanced sensors such as the AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar, multi-mode radar and sonobuoys, the helicopter is a potent submarine-hunting platform. Its ability to carry the Mk-54 lightweight torpedo makes it a lethal asset against underwater threats.
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