Navy all set to get new copters in 12 months

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 26

The Indian Navy will start getting the anti-submarine warfare helicopters this year itself. The first lot of six out of the 24 MH-60R helicopters, agreed upon after the India-US bilateral talks yesterday, will be delivered in 12 months and the remaining will follow up over the next four years, sources in the Indian Navy said.

The copters made by Sikorsky, a company owned by Lockheed Martin of the US, are considered the best among the class to hunt submarines with their sea-dunking sonars and the ability to launch submarine killing torpedoes and also arsenal-like missiles at targets at sea.

Dan Spoor, Vice-President, Sikorsky Maritime and Mission Systems, said, “We stand behind the US Navy and look forward to having the Indian Navy become the fourth international country joining Australia, Denmark and Saudi Arabia to operate the MH-60R.”

Spoor said the platform would provide the Indian Navy the capability to identify, engage and defeat maritime security threats along with the ability to perform secondary missions, including search and rescue.

The MH-60R is the same variant as used by the US Navy. It will replace the 40-year-old fleet of British-made Sea King 42-B helicopters. Over 300 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters are operating worldwide. India has opted to get Mk-54 torpedoes on board the new machine.

The copter was finalised along with additional purchase of six additional Apache AH64E copters. The two copters would cost $3 billion. The IAF is already flying the Apache AH 64E copter.