Indo-Pacific 2022: Australia seals MH-60R and AH-64E deals
The Royal Australian Navy will receive a dozen extra MH-60R naval helicopters, to boost the current fleet by 50%. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Replacing European-designed helicopters, Australia has turned back to the US for attack and naval rotorcraft.
On the eve of the Indo-Pacific 2022 naval exhibition in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) would receive 13 new Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters and the Australian Army a fleet of 29 Boeing AH-64E Apaches.
The Romeo deal is worth some A$2.5 billion ($1.75 billion), plus an additional A$360 million will be spent on upgrading HMAS Albatross in Nowra, where existing MH-60Rs are based with 725 and 816 Squadrons.
To replace one helicopter lost in a crash in the Philippine Sea in October last year, the order was bumped up from the originally
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Air Warfare
-
![European Defence Agency picks Airbus Helicopters’ Capa-X for M2UAS project]()
European Defence Agency picks Airbus Helicopters’ Capa-X for M2UAS project
The multi-mission uncrewed platform project is aiming to help the EU agency define new drone designs that are capable of performing a wide range of mission sets with one adaptable airframe.
-
![Anduril marks new milestones with YFQ-44A flight tests as USAF plans further demos]()
Anduril marks new milestones with YFQ-44A flight tests as USAF plans further demos
A production decision on Increment 1 of the CCA Programme is due to be made by the end of the year, with further demonstrations building on F-22 Raptor and MQ-20 Avenger teaming flight tests.
-
![First confirmed US one‑way drone strike on Iran sharpens Pentagon UAV expansion]()
First confirmed US one‑way drone strike on Iran sharpens Pentagon UAV expansion
The US is currently escalating its efforts to acquire more than 300,000 low-cost one-way attack drones, with the confirmed use of these platforms against Iran in recent days emphasising their growing use in combat.
