The Australian government’s purchase of 24 MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ naval combat helicopters is good news for several US defence companies.
Team Romeo principals Sikorsky Aircraft and Lockheed Martin have made their first international sale to fulfil the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 9000 Phase 8 requirement.
Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin are teamed with engine manufacturer GE Aviation.
According to Sikorsky, the principal sensors on board the MH-60R include the Raytheon AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) and AAS-44 Multi-Spectral Targeting System, the Lockheed Martin ALQ-210 electronic support measures and Hellfire missiles, and the Telephonics APS-147 multimode radar with inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) and periscope detection capability.
Lockheed Martin reports that the Romeo team plans to bring long-term job and work opportunities to Australian industry, valued at $1.5 billion over 10 years.
The RAN is expected to take delivery of the first two MH-60R helicopters in 2014.