Seventy-one per cent of Earth’s surface is covered by water. With each passing year, what lurks beneath – enemy submarines, torpedoes, mines – become harder to stop. That’s why now more than ever, navies around the world need something they can rely on to protect their shorelines.
Enter, the Sikorsky MH-60R Romeo helicopter. Learn how it’s catching the eyes of seafarers around the world.
What Can it Do?
The MH-60R is known as “the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter.” And for good reason – there’s already more than 300 of them operating worldwide.
What this really means? It’s better than any helicopter of its kind at:
• Spotting underwater enemies
• Detecting and engaging enemy threats
• Sharing information with other assets to defeat the threat
• Switching missions with ease
• Living on ships and operating from shore
• Multitasking
• Lifting heavy cargo
• Surviving the most extreme weather
And all that capability is delivered when our customers need it: The Lockheed Martin team has delivered these aircraft 100% on time.
Now, imagine a future where navies work together, using MH-60Rs to create safer seas.
For these six countries, that future comes a lot sooner than you think.
Greece will become the sixth country to acquire this game-changing naval helicopter. With its recently signed $193 million contracts, Greece joins the United States, Australia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and India – with more on the horizon.
“We are pleased the government of Greece has selected the US. Navy's MH-60R. We are confident that this aircraft will provide unparalleled capability to the Hellenic Navy for years to come,” said Captain Todd Evans, H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter Program Manager.
By acquiring the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter ever built, the Hellenic Navy takes a quantum leap forward in naval technology.
The US. Navy was the first to adopt the helicopter in 2006. Since then, the Navy’s fleet has grown to 289 MH-60Rs that complete missions like the search for enemy submarines, conduct daring at-sea rescues and engage undersea threats. The Seahawk’s sustainment has been so successful that recently the Secretary of Defence awarded the Lockheed Martin team with its Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) award, recognizing “outstanding creativity and innovation, resulting in superb combat readiness and superlative cost-wise performance to the fleet.”
Australia received its first MH-60R in 2013, and since then it’s expanded to 24 helicopters. Primarily, MH-60R serves as its next-generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter. The Royal Australian Navy has even been able to integrate the MH-60R with more types of vessels than it had originally planned for.
Denmark became the third country to operate the MH-60R after Australia, receiving its first aircraft of nine in 2016. In the rugged North Sea, the helicopter has proved it can land even in the most precarious of places. Recently, MH-60R also showed off its ability to be aerially refuelled from a ship and has supported anti-piracy operations for NATO.
With its first delivery in 2018, the Royal Saudi Navy will receive 10 MH-60R helicopters in total. Primarily, MH-60Rs in Saudi Arabia will operate in conjunction with the country’s next-generation Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships, also built by Lockheed Martin.
Before Greece, India was the latest country to add 24 MH-60Rs to its fleet. The agreement builds on an existing 30-year relationship between Lockheed Martin and the Indian Armed Forces. Lockheed Martin’s presence in India includes industrial involvement and programs like the S-92, C-130 and F-21.
No matter what’s to come on the horizon, the MH-60R will be ready. As more and more countries choose it to protect their shorelines, the MH-60R paves the way for a safer world for all of us – from the coasts of Greece to the cliffs of Denmark, to the shores of Saudi Arabia and beyond.
