US Navy announces the first flight of Indian Navy’s MH-60R Helicopter

The Naval Air Systems Command of the US Navy on Tuesday (April 20) announced that the first MH-60R anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Indian Navy had made its maiden flight. The first helo is likely to arrive in India by the end of July.

The aircraft is part of the 24 ordered by the Narendra Modi government last year from the US under a nearly USD 2.4 billion deal.

On its official Twitter handle, NAVAIR informed the first flight of the MH-60R happened at Owego in New York state, where Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s builder, has a test facility.

MH-60R Seahawk

MH-60R Seahawk is a multi-mission helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The helicopter is equipped for a range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search-and-rescue (SAR), naval gunfire support (NGFS), surveillance, communications relay, logistics support and personnel transfer, and vertical replenishment (VERTREP).

General characteristics

• Crew: 3–4
• Capacity: 5 passengers in cabin, slung load of 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) or internal load of 4,100 lb (1,900 kg) for B, F, and H models / 6,684 lb (3,032 kg) payload
• Length: 64 ft 8 in (19.71 m)
• Height: 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m)
• Empty weight: 15,200 lb (6,895 kg)
• Gross weight: 17,758 lb (8,055 kg) for ASW mission
• Max takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines, 1,890 shp (1,410 kW) each for take-off
• Main rotor diameter: 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m)
• Main rotor area: 2,262.3 sq ft (210.17 m²)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 146 kn (168 mph, 270 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 180 kn (210 mph, 330 km/h)
• Range: 450 nmi (520 mi, 830 km)
• Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,650 ft/min (8.4 m/s)

Armament

• Up to two Mark 46 torpedoes or Mk 50 or Mk-54s or two 120 U.S. gal (454 L) fuel tanks for SH-60B and HH-60R and MH-60R
• AGM-114 Hellfire missile, 4 Hellfire missiles for SH-60B and HH-60H and MH-60R, 8 Hellfire missiles for MH-60S Block III.
• M60 machine gun or, M240 machine gun or GAU-16/A machine gun or GAU-17/A Minigun

Check out Naval Library App to find out the specifications of the Naval Aircraft.