Sikorsky has flown the first SH-60B remanufactured to MH-60R standard. The flight late last month lasted 1.7h. The US Navy, meanwhile, has opted to buy new-build airframes for the MH-60Rprogramme rather than rebuild Seahawk machines. Operational evaluation of the related MH-60S naval utility machine is also to start this month. Two standard SH-60Bs have flown previously equipped with the new mission system. The USN plans to acquire 243 new MH-60Rs, with new avionics, mission systems suite and glass cockpit.
Source: Flight International