SEOUL, — South Korea has approved a 3.24 trillion-won ($2.4 billion) program to purchase about 20 additional U.S.-made MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters for the Republic of Korea Navy.
The acquisition was approved Tuesday by the Defense Project Promotion Committee under the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The helicopters will be acquired through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and are scheduled to be delivered by 2032.
Replacing Aging Lynx Helicopters
The acquisition is part of the Maritime Operational Helicopter-II program, which runs from 2025 to 2032. Its main purpose is to replace the Navy’s aging British-built Lynx and Super Lynx helicopters operating from destroyers and frigates.
The MH-60R offers improved capabilities for detecting and tracking underwater and surface targets. Its anti-submarine warfare systems include variable-depth dipping sonar and sonobuoys, while its longer endurance and weapons capabilities support maritime operations.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the MH-60R is a multi-mission naval helicopter designed mainly for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW). It can also conduct search and rescue, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The helicopter has a maximum speed of about 333 km/h (180 knots). Its official specifications include a maximum weight of 10.2 tons, length of 16.18 meters, width of 4.37 meters, and height of 5.18 meters.
Expanding South Korea’s Seahawk Fleet
South Korea ordered its first 12 MH-60R helicopters in 2020 under a program valued at about $878 million. The first aircraft from that order began arriving in late 2024 and early 2025.
Two helicopters entered operational service on April 1, 2026, with the 62nd Maritime Helicopter Group at Jinhae Naval Base in South Gyeongsang Province.
In May 2026, the U.S. State Department approved a potential sale of up to 24 additional MH-60Rs, valued at about $3 billion, supporting the subsequent procurement process.
The latest approval will add about 20 more Seahawks, bringing South Korea’s planned MH-60R fleet to 32 helicopters by 2032. The Navy will continue operating AW159 Wildcat helicopters alongside its remaining Lynx aircraft.
VTOL Reconnaissance UAV Program
DAPA also approved changes to a separate program for the domestic development of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) reconnaissance UAVs.
The UAV project has a budget of 2.16 trillion won and is planned for completion by 2036. The systems are intended to provide more than four times the surveillance reach of existing division-level reconnaissance drones and operate alongside manned platforms for monitoring coastal and open-water areas.
The two programs will expand South Korea’s manned and unmanned maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities while supporting the replacement of older naval aviation assets.
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