Key Facts
- Total Order: 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from the United States
- Deliveries Completed: 21 helicopters delivered
- Contract Year: Signed in 2020
- Unit Cost: Approximately $2.6 billion for the entire order
About MH-60R Seahawk
The MH-60R Seahawk, nicknamed "Romeo", is an all-weather, shipborne multi-role naval helicopter manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Primary Roles
- Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW): Primary mission to detect and destroy enemy submarines
- Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW): Engagement of surface threats
Advanced Sensor Suite
- Multi-mode radar
- Dipping sonar
- Sonobuoys
- Electro-optical/infrared sensors
- Electronic support measures
- Datalinks
- Aircraft-survivability systems
Weapons Capability
- Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes: Anti-submarine weapon
- AGM-114 Hellfire missiles: Air-to-ground precision missiles
- Rockets
- Crew-served machine guns
Multi-Mission Roles
- Search and rescue operations
- Medical evacuation (Medevac)
- Maritime surveillance
- Logistics support
Indian Navy Integration
Units Raised
- INAS 334 'Seahawks': Commissioned at Kochi in March 2024
- INAS 335 'Ospreys': Raised at Goa in December 2025
Sustainment Package
- Five-year sustainment-support package under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme
Strategic Significance
For India's Maritime Security
- Strengthens anti-submarine warfare capabilities
- Enhances maritime-domain awareness
- Improves shipborne aviation capability
- Extends operational reach of Indian warships
For Defence Cooperation
- Deepens India-US defence partnership
- Aligns with Mutual Loggingistic Support Agreement (MLSA)
- Part of growing QUAD security cooperation
Replacement of Ageing Fleet
The MH-60Rs are replacing the legacy Sea King helicopters, which have been in service for decades. The new helicopters provide:
- Better sensor capabilities
- Enhanced weapons systems
- Improved reliability
- All-weather operational capability
Related Context
- India has also been developing indigenous naval helicopters
- The Navy's carrier-based aviation is being modernised with MiG-29K, F/A-18 Super Hornets (under consideration), and now the Seahawk fleet