Indian Navy received another MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in Kochi

Indian Navy received another MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in Kochi

¨     Indian Navy received another MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in Kochi in July 2026, increasing the inducted fleet to 21 out of 24 helicopters ordered from the United States.

¨     The remaining three helicopters are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026 under the original procurement programme.

¨     The MH-60R Seahawk is a multi-role maritime helicopter developed by Lockheed Martin for naval operations.

¨     It is designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search and rescue (SAR), and special operations support.

¨     India signed a contract for 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters in February 2020 under the United States Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

¨     The contract was valued at approximately USD 2.6 billion and aimed to strengthen the Indian Navy’s shipborne aviation capability.

¨     The Indian Navy formally inducted the MH-60R fleet into INAS 334 at INS Garuda, Kochi, in March 2024.

¨     In December 2025, India signed a ₹7,995 crore sustainment package covering maintenance, spare parts, logistics support, and operational availability of the fleet.

¨     The MH-60R Seahawk is the naval variant of the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter family.

¨     INAS stands for Indian Naval Air Squadron.

¨     INS Garuda, located in Kochi, Kerala, is the Indian Navy’s naval air station.

¨     India procured the MH-60R Seahawk helicopters through the United States Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.