U.S. Navy Accepts 350th MH-60R Romeo Helicopter as Pacific Maritime Threats Grow.

The U.S. Navy, on January 13, 202,6 officially accepted its 350th MH-60R Romeo helicopter at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility, transferring the aircraft to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41. The milestone underscores the program’s maturity and highlights the MH-60R’s continued importance as maritime threats grow more complex across the Pacific.

The U.S. Navy marked an aviation milestone this week with the formal acceptance of its 350th MH-60R Seahawk helicopter during a ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego production facility in upstate New York. Naval aviation leaders and industry representatives attended the event, which concluded with the aircraft’s transfer to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41, the fleet replacement squadron responsible for training Pacific Fleet aircrews on the Romeo platform. Navy officials described the delivery as a reflection of both the aircraft’s proven operational record and its enduring role in modern maritime warfare.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The helicopter also performs anti-surface warfare missions using AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and crew-served weapons such as the GAU-21 50 caliber machine gun (Picture source: US DoD)

Developed by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, the MH-60R Romeo represents the U.S. Navy’s standard multi-mission maritime helicopter. Entering frontline service in 2010, it consolidated anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and maritime security missions previously distributed across several helicopter variants. The aircraft combines a glass cockpit with fly-by-wire controls, and an integrated mission system designed from the outset for networked naval operations.

In its core anti-submarine warfare role, the MH-60R relies on a layered sensor suite that includes an APS-153 multi-mode maritime radar, an AQS-22 airborne low-frequency dipping sonar and a comprehensive Electronic Support Measures system capable of detecting and classifying hostile emitters. These sensors are fused by the helicopter’s mission computer, allowing crews to build a real-time underwater and surface picture while operating from destroyers, cruisers, or frigates. The platform can carry Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes with an engagement range exceeding 9 kilometers, providing organic submarine kill capability to surface combatants.

The helicopter also performs anti-surface warfare missions using AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and crew-served weapons such as the GAU-21 50 caliber machine gun. Its ability to detect small, fast-moving surface contacts makes it particularly suited for maritime security patrols, escort missions, and interdiction operations in congested sea lanes. Recent operational deployments in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden demonstrated this versatility when MH-60R crews engaged hostile unmanned aerial systems and armed skiffs threatening commercial shipping using a combination of radar, electro-optical sensors, and rapid weapon cueing.

HSM-41 plays a central role in sustaining these capabilities across the fleet. As the U.S. Navy’s Helicopter Maritime Strike Fleet Replacement Squadron, it trains new pilots and aircrewmen while also introducing software updates, tactics and sensor employment concepts. The acceptance of the 350th aircraft reinforces the squadron’s position as a cornerstone of naval aviation readiness, particularly for Indo-Pacific operations where submarine activity continues to increase.

The delivery highlights the durability of the MH-60R production line. Lockheed Martin continues to assemble and upgrade aircraft at Owego while incorporating incremental improvements through an open-architecture avionics framework. This design approach enables the rapid integration of new data links, processing algorithms, and future weapons without requiring structural modifications. The helicopter is equipped with Link 16 Tactical Data Link and other secure communications systems, allowing seamless information exchange with surface combatants, maritime patrol aircraft, and allied forces.

Program officials expect the MH-60R to remain in service into the 2050s, supported by continuous modernization cycles. Planned upgrades include enhanced processing power, improved acoustic algorithms for complex littoral environments, and greater resilience against electronic attack. These efforts align with U.S. Navy priorities to maintain undersea dominance as potential adversaries field quieter diesel-electric submarines and advanced unmanned underwater vehicles.

The international footprint of the MH-60R further underscores its strategic value. To date, the aircraft has accumulated more than one million flight hours across multiple operators. Australia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, India, Greece, and South Korea all field the Romeo variant, integrating it into their surface fleets with tailored mission profiles. Spain and Norway are scheduled to receive aircraft in the coming years, expanding interoperability among allied navies operating in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific theaters.

For Lockheed Martin, the 350th delivery represents more than a numerical benchmark. It reflects sustained demand for a proven maritime aviation solution at a time when naval forces are placing renewed emphasis on distributed operations and forward presence. According to company officials, the active production line ensures that both new-build customers and existing operators can access common upgrades, sustaining fleet commonality and logistics efficiency.

Within the U.S. Nav,y the MH-60R remains a critical enabler of surface warfare groups, carrier strike groups, and independent deployers. Its ability to extend the sensor and weapons reach of surface combatants has reshaped how commanders manage anti-submarine and maritime security missions. As global naval competition intensifies, the continued delivery and modernization of the MH-60R confirms its role as a foundational asset of U.S. and allied maritime power.