Navy's first 2 lethal MH-60R multi-role helicopters arrive from US

In a shot in the arm for the country's maritime capabilities, India on Thursday received the first lot of two United States-built MH 60R multi-role helicopters. It would receive one more helicopter next month.

In 2020, India inked an agreement with the United States government to procure 24 MH 60R multi-role helicopters. Last year, the US handed over three helicopters to India, which were being utilised for training Indian Navy pilots at Pensacola, Florida and San Diego.

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Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said that the delivery of all 24 MH 60R helicopters will be completed by 2025. 

"The induction of state-of-the-art mission capable platforms will significantly boost the integral ASW capability of the Indian Navy," he said.

This is the first significant induction of helicopters by the Indian Navy in decades for deployment on ships. Incidentally, the Indian Navy will also get the indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant next month. These helicopters will be deployed on this carrier. 

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India-US pact signed during Trump's India visit 

The two countries signed a $2.2 billion pact to procure 24 MH-60R helicopters built by Lockheed Martin during then US President Donald Trump's visit to India in February 2020. 

It should be mentioned that the Navy has been facing an acute shortage of choppers on its frontline warships. The MH-60R helicopters are the replacement for the already-retired Sea King 42/42A helicopters. 

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These helicopters are envisaged to operate from frontline ships and aircraft carriers. They would provide them with the critical attributes of the flexibility of operation, enhanced surveillance and attacking capability.

The MH-60R, one of the most capable naval helicopters available today, will allow India to monitor the seas more effectively for Chinese surface ships and submarines.

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Besides performing search and rescue, medical evacuation, ship-to-ship replenishment, troop transport and humanitarian relief operations, the MH-60R is capable of spotting underwater enemies, detecting and engaging enemy threats, and sharing information with other assets to defeat the threat, operating from both ships as well as from the shore.

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