by Staff Correspondent
The Indian Navy is set to receive its first set of multi-role helicopters as America is set to hand over three MH-60 Romeo helicopters to the force in the United States in July, 2022.
The first batch of Indian pilots has also reached the US for training on the helicopters which would be arriving in India next year in July, Navy sources informed IADB. India and the US had signed an over- ₹16,000 crore deal to buy 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin in 2020 under fast-track procedures on a government-to-government deal to hasten the process.
The training of the pilots would be held in the American city of Pensacola in Florida after which they would move to San Diego in California, as reported.The 24 MH-60 Romeos would be equipped with multi-mode radars and night-vision devices as well as armed with Hellfire missiles, torpedoes, and precision-guided weaponry.
The MH-60 would be replacing Sea Kings which would be on their way out of the force very soon. The helicopters are designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers as a flexible platform.
