MH-60R Seahawk

The MH-60R Seahawk is the Royal Australian Navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter and will form a very important part of its operations for years to come.

The MH-60R is equipped with a highly sophisticated combat systems designed to employ Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and the Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedo. The primary missions of the 'Romeo' helicopter is anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. Secondary missions include search and rescue, logistics support, personnel transport and medical evacuation.

The Royal Australian Navy’s MH-60R Romeo helicopter conducts functional testing of the newly fitted Airborne Low Frequency Sonar System (ALFS) off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

The MH-60R and its mission systems replaced the fleet’s S-70B-2 Seahawk aircraft, which retired from service on 1 December 2017.

The Australian Government approved the acquisition of 24 MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ naval combat helicopters at a cost of over $3 billion. The helicopters are largely military off-the-shelf built by Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin and were acquired through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process from the US Navy.

Royal Australian Navy officer, Lieutenant Benjamin Martin (left), RAN, and United States Navy officer, Lieutenant Commander Katie Stewart (right) fly an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter over Sydney Harbour during a photography exercise on the 18th September 2019.

Royal Australian Navy sailor, Leading Seaman Aircrewman Dylan Skipsey operates the MH-60R Seahawk console in the rear of the aircraft during a photography exercise on the 18th September 2019.

Navy will have the capacity to provide at least eight warships with a combat helicopter at the same time, including Anzac Class frigates and the new Air Warfare Destroyers. The remainder will be based at HMAS Albatross in Nowra, New South Wales, and will be in various stages of the regular maintenance and training cycle.