New MH-60R Maritime Aircraft to Replace 'Aegean Hawks' in Greek Service

Sikorsky's global Black Hawk fleet will grow by three with the addition of its newest MH-60R to the Greek Navy's anti-submarine and surface warfare fleet.

The company recently completed testing on integration of systems and sensors equipped on ta trio of their naval Black Hawk derivatives, ensuring each is up to spec before beginning their tour of duty with the Hellenic Navy. The aircraft will join almost a dozen of the older spec of S-70B, the Seahawk. In Greek service, that model became the attractively named "Aegean Hawk", sold to the nation in the late nineties to early aughts. Their order will contain 7 MH-60Rs in all, ported over aboard US Naval transport aircraft. The other 4 will arrive in 2025. 

“Commonality of these Hellenic Navy MH-60R SEAHAWK aircraft with 330 MH-60R and 250 MH-60S SEAHAWK aircraft, and with the global BLACK HAWK helicopter fleet, enables Sikorsky and the U.S. Navy to continue sustaining and upgrading this proven weapon system for maximum threat deterrence and operational capability."

“Operational effectiveness of the MH-60R multi-mission helicopter is a direct result of ongoing investment by the U.S. Navy, Sikorsky, and our partner suppliers in the air vehicle, mission systems and sensors,” said Hamid Salim, vice president, Sikorsky Maritime Systems at last year’s handover to the Spanish Navy. He emphasized the ease of which countries can make the swap to the newer, better aircraft that give them “the highest level of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capability,”

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com