The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to the Spanish government.
The approval includes a potential purchase of eight helicopters and related equipment for an estimated $950 million.
According to a US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) statement, the deal also includes 32 AGM-114R(N) Hellfire missiles, GAU-21 crew served guns (including pintle and laser pointer), M152 High Explosive warheads for airborne 2.75 rockets, 100 WGU-59/B Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II guidance sections, Link 16 and airborne low frequency sonars and other items such as sonobuoys, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures and IFF systems.
The MH-60R will provide the Spanish Navy with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay.
The Spanish Navy currently operates refurbished US Navy SH-60F Seahawks, an earlier model of the Sikorsky-built helicopter.
Should a deal be finalized, Spain would become the eighth customer for the model, joining South Korea, the US, Greece, Australia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and India.
In US Navy service, the MH-60R Sea Hawk performs anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electromagnetic warfare, surveillance and other missions.
