The Indian Navy received two MH-60R multi-role helicopters (MRH) from the US Navy in a ceremony held at the Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego on Saturday. A ceremony that marked the formal transfer of the helicopters from the US Navy to the Indian Navy was attended by India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. "The induction of the all-weather multi role helicopters is an important milestone in India-US bilateral defence ties," Sandhu said on the occasion.
The Indian Navy is procuring a total of 24 of these helicopters, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, under foreign military sales from the US government at an estimated cost of $2.4 billion. The deal was signed in February 2020, when the then US president Donald Trump was on his maiden visit to India.
According to the Indian Navy, these are all-weather helicopters designed to support multiple missions with state-of-the-art avionics and sensors. "The helicopters would be modified with several India-specific unique equipment and weapons," Commander Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson for the Indian Navy said. He added that induction of these helicopters would further enhance the Indian Navy’s three-dimensional capabilities. "In order to exploit these potent helicopters, the first batch of Indian crew is presently undergoing training in the US," Commander Madhwal added.
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The US Navy tweeted that this deal will enhance navy-to-navy cooperation and “strengthen our combined subsurface and surface warfare capability and capacity in the Indo-Pacific region.”
The ceremony also witnessed exchange of documents between Vice Adm Kenneth Whitesell, Commander Naval Air Forces, US Navy and Vice Adm Ravneet Singh, DCNS. Senior leadership of the US Navy and Lockheed Martin Corporation were also present.
William L. Blair, Vice President and Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India said: “MH-60R is the most advanced maritime multi-mission helicopter in operation - deployed globally, and its mission performance by far, second to none. We appreciate the tremendous confidence placed in Team Seahawk by the Indian Navy through their selection of the Romeo. We stand committed to making this program a tremendous success in partnership with the United States Navy and the Indian Navy.”
Multiple official sources confirmed that the first batch of helicopters will arrive in India by June 2022. The deliveries of all 24 helicopters are scheduled to be completed by 2025.
The 24 MH-60R helicopters, built by Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky Aircraft, will be procured under the 'government-to-government' route. The MH-60R is the US Navy's primary anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopter and is also capable of search and rescue and supply missions. These helicopters will replace 15 Sea King anti-submarine warfare helicopters de-inducted from service in 1991 and one Sea King 42B MRH, lost in an accident. The current MRHs in service—Sea King 42Bs—were inducted in the 1980s when the Indian Navy got its now decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
As multiple attempts by Indian Navy to procure helicopters for its frontline warships have been delayed, it has led to acute shortage of its helicopter fleet. Its warships like Kolkata class destroyers are operating without anti-submarine helicopters on board. While the Indian Navy’s programme for 111 Naval Utility Helicopters is yet to be formalised, the Navy, in April decided to lease light helicopters to meet the crucial requirement.
