India has started the process of acquiring 24 state-of-the-art anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the Navy from the US firm Lockheed Martin after signing a $905 million deal.
The MH-60R helicopters — which would replace obsolete Indian Navy Sea King helicopters, first acquired from the UK in 1971 — are meant to detect and, if necessary, engage Chinese and Pakistani submarines and warships in the Indian Ocean region.
The overall value of the contract signed is less than half the $2.6 billion package which had been announced by the US State Department in April 2019 which included the cost of the choppers, their sensors and communication systems, and several weapon systems including Hellfire missiles which can targets ships, MK 54 torpedoes and precision strike rocket systems.
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