First Indian Navy MH-60R Seahawk

Early December 2020, the first MH-60R Seahawk for the Indian Navy, serial IN751, was shown to the public by Sikorsky.

India fast tracked the acquisition of the Seahawk helicopters. In November 2018, a Letter of Request (LoR) was issued to the US government for the acquisition of 24 MH-60R anti-submarine helicopters. On 2 April 2019 the US State Department made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to India of the MH-60R.

It is reported that three MH-60Rs will be diverted from the US Navy production line, but this has not been confirmed yet.

The Seahawks would replenish India’s ageing fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters operating since the 1980s. The Sea King Mk42Bs are flying with INAS 330 'Harpoons' at Mumbai (INS Shikra) and INAS 336 'Flaming Arrows' at Cochin (INS Garuda). Next to that the Indian Navy is also using the Sea King Mk42C in the assault role with the Marine Commando Flight at INS Shikra and in the utility role at Vishakhapatnam (UH-3H).

The total value of the FMS is USD 2.6 billion, including support equipment and ammunition, such as Hellfire missiles, advanced precision kill weapons system rockets and MK54 torpedoes. Also part of the sale is general support, technical as well as logistics, personnel training and training equipment.

The delivery schedule has not been made public.

Photo: Sikorksy