DefenseU.S. Navy receives 350th MH-60R helicopter from Sikorsky
The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of its 350th MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, a model that has been in service since 2010. The aircraft was accepted by Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 (HSM-41), the Navy’s Fleet Replacement Squadron for the MH-60R, during a ceremony at Sikorsky’s facility in Owego, New York.
HSM-41 is responsible for training naval aviators and aircrew assigned to MH-60R units, primarily in support of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The newly delivered helicopter will be used in the training pipeline before entering frontline service.
The MH-60R, developed and built by Sikorsky, is the U.S. Navy’s primary helicopter for anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions. The type combines sensors, mission systems, datalinks and weapons into a single multi-mission platform designed for shipborne operations.
According to the manufacturer, recent operational deployments have highlighted the aircraft’s flexibility in maritime security missions, including surveillance, threat detection and engagement in contested environments. The helicopter has also been integrated into multinational exercises, where it operates alongside allied surface combatants in coordinated anti-submarine warfare scenarios.
The MH-60R features an open-architecture avionics design intended to support incremental upgrades over its service life, including the integration of new sensors and weapons. Current planning anticipates the type remaining in service with the U.S. Navy into the 2050s.
More than one million flight hours have been accumulated by the global MH-60R fleet. In addition to the United States, the helicopter has been delivered to operators including Australia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, India, Greece and South Korea.
Further deliveries are planned for Spain, which has ordered eight MH-60R helicopters, and Norway, which has committed to the acquisition of six aircraft, with deliveries scheduled until 2027.
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