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Saudi to acquire MH-60R maritime helicopters

U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters and associated e...

U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.9 billion.

The deal include sale of ten 10 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters, fourteen (14) APS-153(V) Multi-Mode radars (10 installed, 2 spares and 2 for testing); twenty-four T-700 GE 401 C engines (20 installed and 4 spares); twelve (12) APX-123 Identification Friend or Foe transponders (10 installed and 2 spares); fourteen (14) AN/AAS-44C(V) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems Forward Looking Infrared Radars (10 installed, 2 spares, and 2 for testing); twenty-six (26) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems with Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module (20 installed and 6 spares); and Link-16 capability; one-thousand (1,000) AN/SSQ-36/53/62 Sonobuoys; thirty-eight (38) AGM-114R Hellfire II missiles; five (5) AGM-114 M36-E9 Captive Air Training missiles; four (4) AGM-114Q Hellfire Training Missiles; three-hundred eighty (380) Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System rockets; twelve (12) M-240D crew served weapons; and twelve (12) GAU-21 crew served weapons.

The Sikorsky MH-60R is world’s most advanced maritime helicopter and is based on the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Saudi MH-60R will be operated by Saudi Navy.

The MH-60R will provide the capability to identify, engage, and defeat maritime security threats along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay. Saudi Arabia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.

The MH-60R is operational and deployed today with the U.S. Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones.