State Dept. approves $360 million upgrade program for Australia's MH-60R helicopters
NewsSeptember 01, 2017
WASHINGTON. The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia to support an upgrade program for its fleet of MH-60R multimission helicopters; the estimated cost of the program is $360 million.
Australia has requested a follow-on ten-year upgrade program for 24 Sikorsky-built MH-60R multimission helicopters and associated training devices, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, engineering, and technical services.
According to a Department of Defense (DoD) release, the proposed upgrades to the MH-60R helicopters will improve Australia’s antisubmarine and surface warfare capability, provide the fleet with improved search and rescue capability, enhance its antiship surveillance capability, and enable international commitments for transport, surveillance, and search and rescue operations with the U.S. and other Australian allies. The proposed upgrades will also allow Australia to properly maintain its multimission helicopters.
