If you're building a modern RAN ship, fit a Seahawk helo

[MikeJames]

News just in

Navy to buy 24 new helicopters

The Navy will spend more than $3 billion on 24 Seahawk "Romeo" combat helicopters, replacing 16 ageing earlier Seahawk helicopters.

The new Seahawk helicopters, which will be purchased off the shelf, were selected ahead of the NATO Helicopter Industries NH90 NFH which would have been built by Australian Aerospace.

Mr Smith said the Seahawk's proven capability with the US Navy had been decisive factor, as well as its interoperability with the US Navy.

"The Romeo is a proven capability currently operated by the United States Navy. The United States Navy has accepted around 100 Romeos which have accumulated 90,000 flying hours, including on operational deployments," Mr Smith said.

"Because of its proven capability it's low risk and also we very strongly believe it is value for money," he said.

Mr Clare said the helicopters would be based at HMAS Albatross in Nowra and would operate from the back of ANZAC frigates as well as the new air warfare destroyers.

"Their job is to hunt and kill submarines they also will play an important role in attacking small and fast moving water craft," he said.

"And like the our Seahawk helicopters that operate off our frigates now in the middle east and the coast of Africa they will playa very important role when it comes to anti piracy and counter-terrorist activities."

"This is a big and important decision. It's worth more than $3 billion and worth even more than that to Australia security."

The deal with Sikorsky Lockheed Martin comes three years after then-Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon dropped Australia's $1 billion commitment to the Seasprite project and 15 months after the tender process began.

The Seahawk helicopters will begin entering service with the Navy from mid-2014 and the roll out will finish in 2020.


Mike

[SlatsSSN]

So we know that they're an R model, so what will the model be called SH-70R? or something else?
J

[MikeJames]

US type designation is MH-60R, hence Romeo.

I have no doubt we will hang our own Australian specific designation on it.

Mike