The United States has formally notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea involving 24 MH-60R multi-mission naval helicopters and associated equipment, in a package valued at more than $3 billion. The notification, delivered by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency under the State Department’s authorization, is a required step before the proposed deal can move forward.
The MH-60R Seahawks are intended to enhance South Korea’s maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities and to improve interoperability with U.S. naval forces. The broader U.S. approval for military sales to South Korea exceeds $4 billion and also includes a separate upgrade program for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, valued at about $1.2 billion.
In a related action, the State Department approved a potential $350 million sale of T-700 GE-401C or 401D engines and sustainment support for MH-60R helicopters. That package covers six engines, spare parts, technical documentation, training, and logistics support. U.S. officials stated that the proposed sales would not adversely affect U.S. defense readiness.