NEW DELHI: The US government has approved a proposed sale to India of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonobuoys and related equipment worth around $52.8 million (Rs 443 crore) for the multi-mission MH-60R Seahawk helicopters being inducted by the Indian Navy.
The Biden administration’s notification to the US Congress on Friday said the proposed sale will support Washington’s foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to strengthen the bilateral strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defence partner, India, which “continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions”.
The proposed sale will improve India’s capability “to meet current and future threats” by enhancing its capacity to conduct ASW operations from its MH-60R helicopters, the notification said.
The Navy in March this year had commissioned its first squadron of six submarine-hunting MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, armed with Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets, at INS Garuda in Kochi, as was then reported by TOI.
By next year, India is slated to induct 24 heavy-duty Seahawks, which are also equipped with multi-mode radars and night-vision devices, under the Rs 15,157 crore ($2.13 billion) contract inked with the US in February 2020.
The notification said the Indian government has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G high-altitude ASW sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys and AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys as well as engineering, technical and logistics support. “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” it said.
Navy officers say the induction of Seahawks, which operate from decks of aircraft carriers and other frontline warships, represents a “significant capability jump” in detecting and destroying enemy submarines prowling in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The choppers can also be used for anti-ship strikes, over the horizon network-centric operations and electronic warfare missions, search and rescue, medical evacuation and vertical replenishment.
“The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the Seahawks ideal for our maritime security needs, offering enhanced capabilities for both conventional as well as asymmetric threats. They will enhance India’s blue-water capabilities, extend the operational reach and support sustained naval operations across spectrums,” an officer said.
The new helicopters are crucial because the 140-warship Navy is currently grappling with just a handful of old ASW helicopters like Kamov-28s and Sea Kings, at a time when the presence of Chinese nuclear and diesel-electric submarines is only going to further increase in the IOR in the coming years.
ASW choppers typically fly ahead of warships to “dunk” their sonobuoys into deep waters, “ping” for enemy submarines, and then fire missiles, torpedoes and depth charges to clear the path for the fleet during hostilities.
After the first 24 MH-60Rs, the Navy has projected a long-term requirement for another 123 naval multi-role helicopters (NMRHs). The MH-60Rs are a replacement for the older Sea King 42/42A helicopters that were retired in the 1990s. The case for the 24 choppers, incidentally, began way back in 2005.
The Biden administration’s notification to the US Congress on Friday said the proposed sale will support Washington’s foreign policy and national security objectives by helping to strengthen the bilateral strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defence partner, India, which “continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions”.
The proposed sale will improve India’s capability “to meet current and future threats” by enhancing its capacity to conduct ASW operations from its MH-60R helicopters, the notification said.
The Navy in March this year had commissioned its first squadron of six submarine-hunting MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, armed with Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets, at INS Garuda in Kochi, as was then reported by TOI.
By next year, India is slated to induct 24 heavy-duty Seahawks, which are also equipped with multi-mode radars and night-vision devices, under the Rs 15,157 crore ($2.13 billion) contract inked with the US in February 2020.
The notification said the Indian government has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G high-altitude ASW sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys and AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys as well as engineering, technical and logistics support. “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” it said.
Navy officers say the induction of Seahawks, which operate from decks of aircraft carriers and other frontline warships, represents a “significant capability jump” in detecting and destroying enemy submarines prowling in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The choppers can also be used for anti-ship strikes, over the horizon network-centric operations and electronic warfare missions, search and rescue, medical evacuation and vertical replenishment.
“The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the Seahawks ideal for our maritime security needs, offering enhanced capabilities for both conventional as well as asymmetric threats. They will enhance India’s blue-water capabilities, extend the operational reach and support sustained naval operations across spectrums,” an officer said.
The new helicopters are crucial because the 140-warship Navy is currently grappling with just a handful of old ASW helicopters like Kamov-28s and Sea Kings, at a time when the presence of Chinese nuclear and diesel-electric submarines is only going to further increase in the IOR in the coming years.
ASW choppers typically fly ahead of warships to “dunk” their sonobuoys into deep waters, “ping” for enemy submarines, and then fire missiles, torpedoes and depth charges to clear the path for the fleet during hostilities.
After the first 24 MH-60Rs, the Navy has projected a long-term requirement for another 123 naval multi-role helicopters (NMRHs). The MH-60Rs are a replacement for the older Sea King 42/42A helicopters that were retired in the 1990s. The case for the 24 choppers, incidentally, began way back in 2005.
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