'Romeo' undertakes maiden sea landing on INS Kolkata; to boost India's anti-submarine warfare capability
MH60R chopper, which undertook maiden sea landing on INS Kolkata, is a versatile platform known for its exceptional ASW, surveillance, anti-shipping & search and rescue capabilities.
FollowNew Delhi: In a significant milestone for the Indian Navy, the MH60R helicopter undertook maiden landings on the indigenously designed & constructed destroyer, INS Kolkata on Friday.
Indian Navy PRO Commander Vivek Madhwal said, “This achievement provides a major boost to the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability.”
Also known as “Romeo”, the MH60R helicopter is a versatile platform known for its exceptional ASW, surveillance, anti-shipping, and search and rescue capabilities.
Commander Madhwal also stated that its integration with Indian Navy warships would further strengthen the Navy’s capability to counter underwater threats, monitor maritime activities, and conduct surveillance operations.
In 2020, India placed an order for the procurement of 24 Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters from the United States worth Rs 14,000 crore to strengthen the force’s anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare, and surveillance capabilities.
So far, the Indian Navy has received three MH-60R choppers at Kochi in Kerala. These helicopters were brought to Kochi from the US in a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft. By 2025, the force would receive all choppers.
The choppers are equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, MK 54 torpedoes, and advanced precision weapons. The twin-engine choppers can operate from Indian Navy’s frigates, destroyers, and aircraft carriers.
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