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Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk

Sikorsky · Naval ASW / ASuW / SAR / Utility · USA · Modern (1992–2009)

Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk — Naval ASW / ASuW / SAR / Utility
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The Sikorsky MH-60R / MH-60S Seahawk are American twin-engine, single-rotor multi-mission carrier-based helicopters developed by Sikorsky Aircraft (now Lockheed Martin Sikorsky) for the U.S. Navy. The MH-60R handles anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare; the MH-60S covers utility, combat support and logistics. Together they form the U.S. Navy's principal carrier-based and shipboard helicopter fleet, replacing the older SH-60B, SH-60F and HH-60H legacy Seahawks. As of 2026, around 290 MH-60R and 270 MH-60S have been delivered to the U.S. Navy and allied operators, making this Sikorsky's most successful naval helicopter programme.

Both variants share a common airframe: a twin-engine four-blade-rotor naval helicopter 65 ft (19.8 m) long with a 53-ft (16.4 m) main rotor diameter. Empty weight is roughly 14,500 lb against a maximum take-off weight of 23,500 lb. Power comes from two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshafts rated near 1,890 shp each — the same engines used on the Bell AH-1Z Viper. Maximum speed is 175 mph (Mach 0.23), typical combat radius 320 nmi, and service ceiling 13,000 ft. Differences between the two variants lie in mission systems and weapons rather than airframe or propulsion.

The MH-60R Seahawk is the ASW and surface-warfare variant. It carries the AN/APS-153 multi-mode surface-search radar, AN/AAS-44 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) targeting system, AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar, and 25 sonobuoys. Weapons include up to 8 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for engaging fast-attack craft, the AGM-119 Penguin anti-ship missile (legacy, retired), up to 3 Mk-46 / Mk-50 / Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes for ASW, and a door-mounted M240 7.62mm machine gun. The MH-60R replaces the SH-60B and SH-60F in U.S. Navy service.

The MH-60S Seahawk is the utility and combat-support variant. Mission equipment includes the AN/AAS-44 FLIR, .50 cal door-mounted machine guns, AGM-114 Hellfire (in a limited combat-support role), and 70mm Hydra 70 rocket pods. The MH-60S 'Knighthawk' configuration adds combat search-and-rescue and special-operations support; the MH-60S 'Sea Hawk' configuration handles vertical replenishment between ships, cargo, and troop movement. The MH-60S replaces the HH-60H and several other U.S. Navy utility helicopters.

Both variants have been deployed continuously since 2002 aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, surface combatants of the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke classes, expeditionary ships, and other naval vessels. Major operations include continuous Indo-Pacific maritime-patrol presence, counter-piracy operations off Somalia, and Operation Inherent Resolve. The U.S. Navy operates around 290 MH-60R and 270 MH-60S; the Royal Australian Navy operates 36 MH-60R; the Royal Saudi Navy 40 MH-60R; and the Republic of Korea Navy has 12 MH-60R under negotiation. Production continues at Sikorsky's Stratford, CT facility.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk is the U.S. Navy's main helicopter. It is the naval version of the Army's UH-60 Black Hawk, with extra equipment for working at sea. Seahawks fly from Navy ships looking for submarines, rescuing sailors, hunting pirates, and carrying supplies.

The Seahawk has two General Electric T700 engines, each making 1,940 horsepower. It can fly at 195 mph, faster than a high-speed train, and stay airborne for 3.5 hours. Two crew up front fly the helicopter; one or two more in back work the sensors and weapons. The rotor blades and tail can fold up, so the Seahawk fits in the small hangars of destroyers and frigates.

Different Seahawk versions do different jobs. The MH-60R hunts submarines, drops sonar buoys, and fires torpedoes. The MH-60S carries supplies between ships and rescues people from the water. Both versions can hover over rough seas in any weather, day or night.

About 700 Seahawks have been built since 1979. The U.S. Navy is the biggest user, but Australia, Japan, Spain, Turkey, and many other countries also fly them. The Seahawk has rescued thousands of sailors and is one of the most important helicopters in any modern navy.

Fun Facts

  • The Seahawk is the U.S. Navy's main helicopter, with over 350 in service.
  • Its rotor blades and tail fold up to fit in tight hangars on small ships.
  • Seahawks have rescued thousands of sailors from sinking ships and rough seas.
  • The MH-60R can drop sonar buoys into the water to listen for enemy submarines.
  • Each Seahawk costs about $42 million, less than a fighter jet.
  • Japan, Australia, Spain, Turkey, and India all fly Seahawks.
  • About 700 Seahawks have been built since the first flight in 1979.

Kids’ Questions

How is it different from a Black Hawk?

The Seahawk and Black Hawk are sister helicopters from the same family. The Black Hawk is used by the U.S. Army for land missions, while the Seahawk is for the Navy. Seahawks have folding rotor blades, rust-proof parts, special radar, and equipment for landing on small ship decks. Otherwise the basic helicopter is the same.

Why fold the rotor blades?

Navy ships have very small hangars compared to military airbases on land. Folding the four rotor blades back along the tail makes the Seahawk short enough to fit. Some Seahawks have an automatic system that folds the blades with a button push, taking less than two minutes.

How does it hunt submarines?

The MH-60R Seahawk has a big radar in the nose to spot submarine periscopes, a dipping sonar that lowers a microphone into the water, sonar buoys that float on the surface and listen, and torpedoes to attack any submarine it finds. A Seahawk can stay airborne for hours searching for enemy submarines.

Variants

MH-60R Seahawk (anti-submarine warfare)
ASW and surface-warfare variant; ~290 delivered to the U.S. Navy. Equipped with AN/APS-153 multi-mode radar, AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar, sonobuoys, AGM-114 Hellfire and Mk-54 torpedoes. Operated by U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM).
MH-60S Seahawk (utility / combat support)
Utility and combat-support variant; ~270 delivered to the U.S. Navy. Tasks include vertical replenishment between ships, cargo and troop transport, combat search and rescue, and special-operations support. Operated by U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC).
MH-60R Block II (mid-life upgrade)
Mid-life upgrade introduced around 2018 with upgraded mission-system processing, improved sensors and expanded weapons compatibility. Roughly 60 MH-60R airframes have been brought to Block II standard.
SH-60B / SH-60F / HH-60H (predecessors)
Earlier U.S. Navy Seahawk variants. SH-60B (LAMPS Mk III ASW): 1985-2015. SH-60F (carrier-based ASW): 1991-2015. HH-60H (combat search and rescue): 1991-2015. All retired as MH-60R / MH-60S entered frontline service. Separate SH-60 entry.
MH-60R / MH-60S Block III (proposed)
Proposed future upgrade adding expanded electronic-warfare integration, refreshed mission systems and broader weapons compatibility. Currently under U.S. Navy budget studies.

Notable Operators

U.S. Navy
Primary operator with ~290 MH-60R and ~270 MH-60S. Operating units include 12 Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM) flying the MH-60R and 14 Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC) flying the MH-60S. Forward-deployed aboard all 11 U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Burke-class destroyers, Ticonderoga-class cruisers, and other surface combatants and expeditionary ships.
Royal Australian Navy
36 MH-60R delivered 2014-2018, flown by 725 Squadron and 816 Squadron at HMAS Albatross (Nowra, NSW). Used for ASW and surface-warfare operations from Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers.
Royal Saudi Navy
40 MH-60R delivered or on order, operating from Royal Saudi Navy Eastern Fleet bases for Persian Gulf maritime operations.
Republic of Korea Navy and other operators
Republic of Korea Navy ordered 12 MH-60R with deliveries 2024-2026. Negotiations are ongoing with Denmark, Greece, Mexico, Spain and Norway. Some allied operators continue to fly predecessor SH-60B / SH-60F variants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does MH-60R differ from MH-60S?

Same airframe, different mission profiles. The MH-60R is built for anti-submarine and surface warfare with the AN/APS-153 multi-mode radar, AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar, sonobuoys, AGM-114 Hellfire (anti-surface) and Mk-54 torpedoes (ASW), replacing the SH-60B and SH-60F. The MH-60S is the utility / combat-support aircraft with .50 cal door guns, AGM-114 Hellfire for light combat support, Hydra 70 rockets and a vertical-replenishment kit, replacing the HH-60H and several other U.S. Navy utility helicopters. The two are complementary in service — a typical U.S. Navy carrier strike group fields both.

What did MH-60R/S replace?

Several older U.S. Navy helicopters consolidated into a two-variant family. The SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS Mk III: ~150 in U.S. Navy service from 1985-2015 for ASW from frigates and destroyers. SH-60F Seahawk: ~76 in carrier-based ASW service from 1991-2015. HH-60H Seahawk: ~37 in combat-search-and-rescue service 1991-2015. The MH-60R replaced both the SH-60B and SH-60F, consolidating two ASW variants into one; the MH-60S replaced the HH-60H along with other utility helicopters. The consolidation cut U.S. Navy helicopter complexity while widening the mission set each squadron could cover.

How does the MH-60R hunt submarines?

It uses a multi-sensor approach. The primary sensor is the AN/AQS-22 ALFS (Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar) — a dipping sonar lowered from a hovering position to detect submarines acoustically, which performs well in deep water and quiet acoustic environments. As a secondary layer, the helicopter carries 25 passive and active sonobuoys. The AN/APS-153 multi-mode radar detects submarine periscopes and masts, and the AN/AAS-44 FLIR provides electro-optical and infrared targeting. Once a submarine is detected, the MH-60R engages with up to 3 Mk-46 / Mk-50 / Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes.

How does MH-60R compare to P-8 Poseidon?

The two platforms fill complementary roles. The P-8 Poseidon is shore-based fixed-wing maritime patrol with a 41,000 ft service ceiling, 4,500 nmi range and 129 sonobuoys. The MH-60R Seahawk is ship-based, with a 13,000 ft service ceiling, 320 nmi combat radius and 25 sonobuoys plus dipping sonar. The P-8 handles theatre-wide maritime surveillance and ASW from shore; the MH-60R prosecutes nearer-in ASW threats from ships within the carrier strike group. In practice the P-8 cues the MH-60R to engage high-priority submarine threats.

What weapons does MH-60R carry?

A mix of missiles, torpedoes and machine guns. Primary armament is up to 8 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (used against surface targets including small boats and fast-attack craft) and up to 3 Mk-46 / Mk-50 / Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes (used against submarines). Secondary armament is a 7.62mm M240 door-mounted machine gun, with a .50 cal M3M machine gun on some variants. The weapons fit covers ASW engagement of submarines (Mk-54), surface warfare against small or fast targets (Hellfire), and self-defence against light air threats (door guns). The aircraft does not carry anti-ship missiles for engaging large surface combatants.

What does MH-60R/S cost?

Around $40-50M USD per airframe depending on configuration and customer. U.S. Navy unit cost runs near $40M for the MH-60R with full mission system and ~$32M for the MH-60S without the ASW suite. Foreign export prices typically reach $50-65M USD per airframe. Total programme cost is around $25-30B USD across the planned 560+ aircraft fleet, with operating costs of $5,000-7,000 per flight hour. That balance of mission breadth and cost has made the Seahawk one of the most cost-effective Western naval helicopters.

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