The US State department gave a nod to the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to India under it Foreign Military Sales (FMS) on Tuesday. The multi-mission choppers will grant the Indian Defense forces to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.
Notifying congress the Trump administration said that the US state department has approved the sale with an estimated cost of USD2.4billion.
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The MH-60R choppers which are also known as “Romeo” will be replenishing the aging Westland Sea-King choppers of India which was bought from Britain in 1969.
In case of India and non-NATO countries US Congress must be notified for sales of Major Defense Equipment (MDE) of $14 million and above, defense articles and services of $50 million and above and design and construction services of $200 million and above. Therefore Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) its certification notifying the US congress of the possible sale. If the congress simply takes no action for the 30 day period, the sale moves forward. The contractor of the deal will be Lockhead Martin.
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).