Sikorsky Tests First 3 MH-60R SEAHAWK Helicopters for Greece; Delivery Scheduled for 2024

Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, has concluded testing on the integrated mission systems and sensors installed on three MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopters destined for the Hellenic Navy.

The testing, finalized in early December 2023, aimed to verify the efficiency and effectiveness of each MH-60R aircraft as an air weapon system capable of handling anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions from both land and naval platforms.

The Hellenic Navy's MH-60R SEAHAWK aircraft, making Greece the seventh country to receive the U.S. Navy's maritime helicopter, are expected to join the fleet at the Kotroni Naval Air Station.

Greece had reportedly requested the accelerated delivery of the first three MH-60R helicopters in 2021 due to tensions between the Greek and Turkish navies. However, the first three helicopters are now slated to arrive in Greece in 2024, representing a purported delay of three years. These deliveries will be facilitated via U.S. Navy transport planes, with an additional four helicopters expected in 2025, ultimately completing the Hellenic Navy's seven-aircraft procurement.

Greece's acquisition of MH-60R helicopters aligns with its strategic shift to modernize its maritime capabilities, replacing older S-70B SEAHAWK helicopters acquired from Sikorsky between 1994 and 2005. The newer MH-60R helicopters, armed with Hellfire missiles, guided rockets, and modern Mk.54 torpedoes, are intended to bolster the Hellenic Navy's anti-submarine warfare capabilities and protect Greek naval and merchant ships from potential threats.

The procurement process began in November 2020 when Greece exercised an option to purchase three additional MH-60R helicopters, expanding the total order to seven. The Greek Ministry of Defense signed a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for four MH-60R helicopters under the foreign military sales (FMS) program in July 2020.