Page 26 - ADT AUGUST 2021 Online Magazine

Timely Entry MH-60B/R Excess Defense Article US Navy [ NAVY ]
(USN) legacy aircraft under the terms of the
deal, which will be used for training of main-
tenance personnel. The first batch of Naval
Aviation aircrew and maintainers are presently
undergoing comprehensive training in the USA
THE INDIAN NAVY STARTS RECAPITALISATION on operating and sustaining the MH-60R.
OF HELICOPTER FLEET WITH DELIVERY OF
SIKORSKY MH-60R ROTORCRAFT The U.S. Navy will help prepare Navy avia-
tors, sensor operators, and maintainers over
the coming years to operate and maintain the
Atul Chandra MH-60R. The first Indian MH-60R pilots and
sensor operators have completed the Naval
Aviation Survival Training Program at NAS
Pensacola. The aircrew has since started
training with the Helicopter Maritime Strike
Squadron (HSM) 41 “Seahawks”. Indian Navy
personnel arrived in the USA in June to start
training on the MH-60R and maintenance
personnel are currently studying maintenance
requirements and procedures at NAS North
Island.

Capability Boost
The Indian Navy has been grappling with a
severe shortage of helicopters and the first
MH-60R deliveries mark nearly a decade since
the original procurement process got under-
way. Sikorsky bagged the Indian MH-60R win
after an unsuccessful earlier bid with its S-70B
Seahawk helicopters, which were selected by
The Indian Navy has commenced the long overdue recapitalisation the Navy in 2014. The original procurement
of its helicopter fleet with the acceptance in July, of its first two intent was for 16 multirole ASW/ ASuW heli-
Sikorsky MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH). The acceptance copters (with options for eight more) but the
ceremony by the U.S. Navy held at NAS North Island, San Diego deal ran aground in 2017.
marked the formal transfer of these helicopters to the Indian Navy.
India inked a US$2.6 billion deal in February 2020 to acquire 24 The MH-60R’s primary mission is surface and
MH-60Rs. “The MH-60R is a cutting-edge multi-mission aircraft subsurface warfare but the helicopter is also
that will significantly enhance our Navy-to-Navy cooperation and capable of search and rescue operations, ver-
strengthen our combined anti-submarine and undersea domain tical replenishments, personnel transport, and
capabilities on the open seas,” said Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, medical evacuation operations. The MH-60R
Commander, U.S. Naval Air Forces. “As was true for the U.S. Navy, will join the Navy’s fleet of British built Sea King
these aircraft and their operators will immediately strengthen their Mk42B/C helicopters, Russian Kamov Ka-28
armed forces to deter, counter, and defend against any threat to and Ka-31 helicopters and obsolescent Chetak
the international rules-based order that we mutually recognize as helicopters (licence-built Aerospatiale Alouette
critically important to global security.” IIIs) built by state owned airframer Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Deliveries of all 24 helicopters on order are to be completed by
2023 and acquisition of the new anti-submarine and anti-surface The Navy also operates indigenously built
warfare (ASW/ASuW) helicopters is a key component of the Navy’s Dhruv MkI and newer MkIII helicopters. The
‘Capability Based Perspective Plan’. Lockheed Martin will also be Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicop-
discharging offsets through Transfer of Technology (ToT) to Indian ters were to have concluded their Mid-Life
offset partners for manufacture of products and services. Upgrade (MLU) this year. Upgraded Ka-28’s
will also receive western weapons and sensors,
Preparing for Service dramatically upgrading the capability of the
The Sikorsky MH-60Rs are being acquired under a Foreign Military co-axial rotor helicopter. Deliveries of the last
Sales (FMS) contract with several India specific enhancements, of the Navy’s upgraded Ka-31 airborne picket
features and weapons to be integrated. India will also receive one helicopters has been completed.

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