The MH-60R successfully completed the first flight of the total weapon system, packaged in the first totally remanufactured SH-60B to MH-60R aircraft on April 4.

Rear Adm. Michael McCabe, director of the Navy’s Air Warfare Division, recently testified before the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee that the Navy will restructure its helicopter forces around two "linchpin airframes," the MH-60R and MH-60S both produced by the team of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and Lockeed Martin Systems Integration (LMSI).

The MH-60R, which performs undersea warfare and anti-surface warfare, will replace the existing fleet of SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters. The Navy decided last year to shift the MH-60R program from remanufacturing existing Navy H-60 airframes to producing new aircraft.

The MH-60R brings tremendous war-fighting capability to the fleet, including the Multi-Mode Radar, AQS-22 airborne low frequency dipping sonar, Electronic Support Measures, Forward Looking Infrared Radar, data link, acoustics, Integrated Self Defense package and much more.

The demonstration included flights by an MH-60R and an MH-60S. The aircraft share a new common cockpit, which results in lower acquisition, training and logistics costs for the U.S. Navy.

Today there are six MH-60R aircraft in testing; three test aircraft are at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Patuxent River, Md. for development and operational tests (includes the 2 NMH-60R prototypes), and three test aircraft are at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, N.Y. for integration and test.

The MH-60R program is worth approximately $7 billion and encompasses a quantity of approximately 243 aircraft. (Two NMH-60R prototypes; four remanufactured SH-60B to MH-60R test articles, and three LRIP remanufactured aircraft; and the remainder will be all new production MH-60Rs.)

(Call Renee Hatcher at 301-757-5138 for more information on this release.)

The MH-60R takes its first flight on April 4 in Owego, N.Y. Bottom picture, an MH-60S, top with flag, also participated in the flight demonstration that day with the Romeo.