Greece receives first MH-60R helicopters

One of the first three MH-60R helicopters received by the Hellenic Navy on 20 March. The remaining four are to be delivered in 2025. (Dimitris Mitsopoulos)

Greece received the first Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk maritime multimission helicopters on 20 March.

The first three of seven helicopters for the Hellenic Navy (HN) were received by Hellenic Navy Aviation Command (HNAC) at Naval Fort Kotroni in Marathon during a ceremony which was attended by the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and other senior Greek and US government and Greek military dignitaries.

Greece placed its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) MH-60R orders over two batches – the first for four helicopters in July 2020 and the second for three helicopters in April 2021. Including spares, systems, weapons, training, and support, the estimated value of the deal is USD600 million.

With three helicopters now received, a second delivery of four helicopters is expected in 2025. The MH-60R Seahawk helicopters will replace the ageing AB212 ASW (anti-submarine warfare) helicopters, which have been in service since the early 1980s.

Greece is the seventh country to acquire the US Navy's MH-60R maritime helicopter. In Europe, Denmark operates nine MH-60R aircraft, while Spain and Norway placed orders for a combined total of 14 MH-60R helicopters in 2023.

For more information on the Hellenic Navy, seeGreece – Navy .