According to information published by the US DoD on October 26, 2023, Lockheed Martin has been awarded a substantial contract valued at $364,312,098 for the production and delivery of six MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, destined for the Norwegian government.
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MH-60R Seahawk helicopter. (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
The MH-60R aircraft, a creation of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin entity, is engineered to support a variety of maritime operations including search and rescue missions, as well as coastal and offshore patrols.
Having delivered a total of 330 MH-60R aircraft to five nations, with an additional 64 either on order or in production for countries including India, Greece, South Korea, Australia, Spain, and now Norway, Sikorsky continues to cement its reputation in the aerospace sector.
Brigadier General Jarle Nergård, the head of the Air Systems Division of the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency, expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the contract, citing the MH-60R's proven reliability and adaptability in operational settings akin to those encountered by the Norwegian Air Force and Coast Guard.
This contract marks Norway’s inaugural venture into operating SEAHAWK helicopters, with an anticipation of having all six MH-60R aircraft fully operational by 2027.
Technical data
The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter is measured at a length of 19.76 meters, a height of 5.1 meters, and a main rotor diameter of 16.35 meters. The empty weight of the helicopter is around 6.1 tonnes, and it has a maximum take-off weight of 10.68 tonnes.
This helicopter is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines. The maximum speed it can attain is 267 kilometers per hour, and it has a cruising speed of 234 kilometers per hour. The service ceiling of the MH-60R is 3.4 kilometers. Its operational range is 454 kilometers, with a combat radius of 93 kilometers, and it has an endurance of up to 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The interior of the MH-60R has the capacity to seat up to five passengers. The payload capacity internally is 1.8 tonnes and externally, it can carry a load of 2.7 tonnes.
The helicopter can be equipped with machine guns of either 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm caliber. It also has the capability to carry two AGM-119B Penguin anti-ship missiles or four AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, and can be equipped with Mk.46, Mk.50, or Mk.54 torpedoes.
