According to the reports, the US based helicopter firm Lockheed Martin on Friday received a contract worth $905 million to build 21 helicopters for the Indian Navy. As directed by the US government, the project will be monitored by the US Navy. To fast track the delivery, US Navy permitted Lockheed Martin to shift three MH-60Rs from the US Navy's inventory of undelivered MH-60R choppers to India.
The agreement initially came into existence earlier this year when US President Donald Trump visited India in the month of February. The two countries had signed 24 multi-mission MH-60R helicopters for the Indian Navy under Foreign Military Sales. India inked this deal with America for 2.6 billion dollars (i.e. about 21 thousand crores). Now the US government (US Navy) has signed this agreement with the helicopter manufacturing company, Lockheed Martin.
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These 'MH60 Romeo' helicopters designed by the American company Lockheed Martin are used for anti-submarine and anti-surface (ship) warfare. Apart from this, these Romeo helicopters would also allow special operations, search and rescue, utility, vertical replenishment, and command and control missions.
The MH-60R helicopters will replace Indian Navy Sea King helicopters which are now years old. The choppers are expected to find and engage Chinese and Pakistani submarines and warships in the Indian Ocean region. With the extremely advanced technology, the American Romeo helicopters are equipped with helfire missiles, rockets and torpedoes and can destroy enemy submarines several hundred meters below sea level if needed.