MH-60R Seahawk:
The Indian Navy recently received another MH-60R Seahawk multi-role naval helicopter from the United States.
- MH-60R Seahawk is a state-of-the-art multi-mission naval helicopter.
- Often called the “Romeo,” it is manufactured by US defence major Lockheed Martin.
- It is an all-weather helicopter designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), maritime surveillance, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and shipborne operations.
- It is the S. Navy’s primary anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopter.
- Besides the United States, the platform is operated by countries including India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Greece, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, and Brazil.
- India signed a deal with the United States to procure 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters in 2020 as part of efforts to modernise the Indian Navy’s helicopter fleet.
- It measures 19.5 m (63.9 ft) in length with a height of 5.18 m.
- The helicopter can carry a crew of three to four personnel, accommodate five additional passengers, lift nearly 3,000 kg of payload, attain a top speed of about 330 kmph and has an operational range of around 830 km.
- It can endure airborne for up to7 hours when deployed in undersea warfare missions and up to 3.3 hours in surface warfare operations.
- It is one of the world’s best submarine-hunting helicopters, equipped with advanced sensors like the AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and multi-mode radar.
- The cockpit is also fitted with a global positioning system, an inertial navigation system, a satellite communication system, and secure VHF/UHF communications.
- It can be armed with Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare missions.
- For surface warfare missions, the MH-60R can carry AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, lightweight torpedoes, and machine guns.
