India to get anti-sub 24 hawk eyes as US okays chopper sale
In a major boost to the Indian Navy’s air prowess, the US has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 “Romeo” Seahawk helicopters worth over 2.6 billion dollars. The helicopters will replace the ageing British manufactured Sea King helicopters now used for anti-submarine operations.
Besides detecting and hitting submarines, the new helicopters can also attack warships and carry search and rescue missions.
India had cleared the deal last year. The US nod signifies growing strategic and defence ties between the two nations.
The Navy was in desperate need for modern anti-submarine warfare capable multi-role helicopters as the Sea Kings procured more than 35 years ago were in the last stages of their operational life. The proposal was hanging fire for more than a decade. Given the urgent requirement, the Indian Government last year gave the nod for a Government to Government deal with the US for buying 24 helicopters in fly away condition. The MH-60 helicopters are manufactured by US firm Lockheed Martin.
The Government to Government deal known as Foreign Military Sale (FMS) makes it duty bound for the US government to stand guarantee for all the aspects of the contract including timely delivery, availability of spare parts and other related issues. The approval on Tuesday came following India’s request to hasten the process keeping in mind its navy’s operational requirements especially with China increasing its maritime footprints in the strategically important Indian Ocean region.
However, the Navy needs overall at least 123 multi-role helicopters and the government decided sometime back to manufacture the helicopters within India under the Strategic Partnership model. It entails an Indian manufacturer forging a joint venture with the foreign original equipment manufacturer(OEM) and then building the helicopters here.
Incidentally, the US approval on Tuesday in Washington came in the backdrop of heightened tension between India and Pakistan since February 14 following a suicide attack killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) personnel in Pulwama. India carried out air strikes on February 26 in Balakot and Pakistan retaliated the next day with its fighter jets intruding into India in Rajouri sector in an attempt to destroy military installations.
PTI reported from Washington that the Trump administration on Tuesday notified the Congress that it has approved the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters, which will provide the Indian defence forces the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
In its notification, the State Department told the Congress that this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship. The sale will improve the security of a major defence partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region, it said.
“The proposed sale will provide India the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay,” said the Congressional notification.
India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense, the notification said, adding that India will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region, it said.
Currently deployed with the US Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, the helicopters are considered the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter.
According to industry experts, it is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. MH-60 Romeo Seahawks would add lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy, which experts say is the need of the hour given the aggressive behaviour of China in the Indian Ocean region.
According to US Naval Air System Command, the MH-60R Seahawk missions are anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support. As the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk is considered to be the cornerstone of the Navy’s Helicopter Concept of Operations.