Lockheed Martin is delivering 12 more Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as part of its latest contract with the US Navy.
Procured through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales agreement, the new aircraft will add a third “Romeo” squadron to the Australian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm.
All 12 MH-60R units are expected to be delivered between mid-2025 and mid-2026. Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky Aircraft Australia in Nowra, New South Wales, currently provides level maintenance, supply support and logistics support for Australia’s MH-60R helicopter fleet.
“The ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopter instils confidence in navies worldwide for its high operational availability in the harsh maritime environment, and for the fully integrated mission systems and sensors that quickly generate a complete picture of the surface and subsurface domains,” said Hamid Salim, vice president of Sikorsky Maritime & Missions Systems.
Peter Quinn, head of Navy Capability for RAN, said the versatility of the MH-60R to conduct a wide range of missions was a significant factor in the service’s decision to make an additional investment in MH-60R under the SEA 9100 Phase 1 program.
“Built upon a decade of partnership with the United States Navy and Lockheed Martin, the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopter provides the Royal Australian Navy with an unparalleled maritime aviation platform,” Quinn said.
RAN was the first international navy to select the MH-60R helicopter, with 24 aircraft procured from 2013 to 2016.
“The additional 12 MH-60R SEAHAWK aircraft is a testament to the Royal Australian Navy’s commitment to providing their service men and women the right aircraft for their mission needs,” said Capt. Todd Evans, US Navy H-60 multi-mission helicopters program manager. “This effort continues the long-standing partnership between the United States Navy and the Royal Australian Navy.”
The Fleet Air Arm’s 725 and 816 squadrons based at Nowra have accumulated more than 30,000 flight hours embarked on frigates, destroyers, and supply ships.
