The US has recently permitted the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters to India at an projected price tag of USD 2.6 billion, the State Department has declared, advancing the Indian Navy’s anti-surface and anti-submarine combat tasks as China increases its presence in the Indian Ocean.
The MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters are designed for hunting submarines as well as hitting out ships and leading search-and-rescue tasks at sea, the Lockheed Martin-built helicopters, would swap India’s aging taskforce of British-made Sea King helicopters.
On Tuesday, the Trump Government informed the Congress that it has permitted the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters, which in return is going to offer the Indian defence forces the competency to achieve anti-surface and anti-submarine combat undertakings.
The helicopters are planned to function from frigates, destructive force, cruisers and aircraft transporters.
The State Department told the Congress in its notification, that this future sale will upkeep the foreign policy as well as national security of the US by assisting to make stronger the US-Indian deliberate association.
The sale which is at an projected cost of USD 2.6 billion, is going to advance the security of a main defensive partner which carry on to be an significant force for political constancy, harmony, and economic growth in the Indo-Pacific as well as South Asia region, it said.
The Congressional notification stated, “The proposed sale will provide India the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay.”
India is going to use the improved competency as a warning to regional threats as well as to make stronger its native country defence, the announcement further added by saying that India is going to have no struggle in gripping these helicopters into its armed forces.
The planned sale of this equipment and support is not going to change the elementary military stability in the region, it said.
The MH-60R Seahawks would also add the lethal aptitudes of the Indian Navy, which specialists say that is the necessity of the hour given the violent conduct of China in the Indian Ocean region.
At present positioned with the US Navy as the most important anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon scheme for Open Ocean as well as littoral zones, the helicopters are well thought out to be the world’s most progressive maritime helicopter.
As per to the industry experts, it is the most accomplished naval helicopter accessible today intended to function from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers.
As per to the US Naval Air System Command, the MH-60R Seahawk tasks are anti-submarine combat, anti-surface combat, investigation, communications transmit, combat hunt and rescue, naval firing support and logistics support.
