The South Korean Navy is preparing to take delivery of its first batch of MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters in December, according to officials.
This acquisition is expected to significantly enhance the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities amid growing threats from North Korea.
In 2020, South Korea’s state arms procurement agency approved a 960 billion-won ($698 million) deal to purchase 12 MH-60R Seahawks from U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The multi-mission helicopters are intended to strengthen the Navy’s ability to detect and engage enemy vessels and submarines.
The MH-60R Seahawk, a 19.7-meter-long and 5.1-meter-high helicopter, boasts a maximum cruising speed of 270 kilometers per hour. It is designed for a range of operations, including anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and medical evacuation missions. The helicopter’s extended operational capabilities allow it to fly farther and stay in the air longer than the Navy’s existing Lynx and Wildcat helicopters. It has a maximum range of 834 kilometers and can operate for approximately four hours on a single sortie.
Once deployed, the Seahawks will operate alongside the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, which the Navy received in July. The P-8A, often referred to as the “submarine killer,” is capable of a wide range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering, and surveillance.
The acquisition of these advanced maritime helicopters comes at a time when regional tensions are rising, particularly due to North Korea’s continued development of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capabilities. The MH-60R Seahawks, with their advanced sensors and weaponry, are expected to play a crucial role in maintaining the security of South Korea’s maritime borders.