New Delhi:Achieving a significant milestone, the Indian Navy's MH-60 Romeo helicopter made a successful landing for the first time on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on Wednesday.
The Indian Navy shared the video of the US-made MH-60R chopper's successful maiden landing and termed it as a major boost in its anti-submarine warfare and fleet support capabilities.
"Another milestone for Indian Navy - MH60R helicopter undertakes maiden landing on the indigenously designed & constructed aircraft carrier INSVikrant.A major boost to Indian Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare & Fleet Support capability," an Indian Navy spokesperson tweeted while sharing the video and the pictures of the landing.
The MH-60 Romeo, one of the most advanced anti-submarine helicopters globally, is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It will be deployed on the navy's warships. In a government-to-government deal worth $905 million, India has ordered 24 of these helicopters, and two have already been introduced into the Indian Navy.
This all-weather helicopter is designed to support various missions and will replace the Navy's Seaking helicopters, which were made in Britain and have been a part of the fleet since 1971. Recently, the MH-60R made its first landing on INS Kolkata, a domestically-built destroyer. This event enhances the Navy's capabilities in surveillance, anti-shipping operations, and search and rescue missions.
Earlier this month, the Indian Navy successfully fired a Brahmos Supersonic cruise missile firing, using its frontline guided missile destroyer INS Mormugao. Notably, it was the maiden Brahmos firing for the destroyer and it successfully managed to hit the 'Bulls Eye'. In September last year, the Indian Navy commissioned its domestically-built INS Vikrant, a 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 20,000 crore.
Also read: Indian Navy's newest guided missile destroyer INS Mormugao hits 'bulls eye'
