According to information published by the Indian Newspaper "Hindustan Times" on June 7, 2021, three of the first MH-60R Seahawk naval helicopters will be delivered next month to the Indian Navy.
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A U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to the “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) Squadron 70, flies over the Atlantic Ocean during exercise At-Sea Demo/Formidable Shield, May 24, 2021. (Picture source U.S. Navy)
In February 2020, India and the US signed a deal for the procurement of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Indian Navy. Under the $2.12bn deal, 24 naval helicopters will be purchased to replace the Sea King helicopters.
In April 2021, the Indian Navy's first MH-60R production helicopter has conducted its maiden flight in Owego, New York. It was carried out at Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) plant.
The MH-60R is a naval version of the American-made UH-60 Black Hawk designed and manufactured by Sikorsky company which is now part of Lockheed Martin.
Operational and deployed today with the U.S. Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, the MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopter is the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter. It is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.
The avionics of MH-60R includes dual controls and instead of the complex array of dials and gauges in Bravo and Foxtrot aircraft, 4 fully integrated 8" x 10" night vision goggle-compatible and sunlight-readable color multi-function displays, all part of glass cockpit produced by Owego Helo Systems division of Lockheed Martin.
Onboard sensors include: AN/AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System by ATK,[18]Raytheon AN/AAS-44 electro-optical system that integrates FLIR and laser rangefinder, AN/ALE-39 decoy dispenser and AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammer by BAE Systems, AN/ALQ-210 electronic support measures system by Lockheed Martin, AN/APS-147 multi-mode radar/IFF interrogator, which during a mid-life technology insertion project is subsequently replaced by AN/APS-153 Multi-Mode Radar with Automatic Radar Periscope Detection and Discrimination (ARPDD) capability, and both radars were developed by Telephonics, a more advanced AN/AQS-22 advanced airborne low-frequency sonar (ALFS) jointly developed by Raytheon & Thales, AN/ARC-210 voice radio by Rockwell Collins, an advanced airborne fleet data link AN/SRQ-4 Hawklink with radio terminal set AN/ARQ-59 radio terminal, both by L3Harris, and LN-100G dual-embedded global positioning system and inertial navigation system by Northrop Grumman Litton division.
The MH-60R can be armed can be equipped with a range of weapons on the four weapons stations, including Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire anti-surface missiles. For anti-submarine warfare, the MH-60R can carry up to three ATK mk50 or mk46 active/passive lightweight torpedoes. The side of the helicopter can be fitted with a pintle-mounted weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine gun.
The MH-60R is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines rated at 1,425kW. It can fly at a maximum speed of 267 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 834 km.
