WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th October, 2021) The Biden administration has approved a nearly $1 billion sale of 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Black Hawk helicopters to Australia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced.
"The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters, Related Defense Services, and related equipment for an estimated cost of $985 million," the DSCA said in a press release on Friday.
The agency has delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale, the release said.
"The government of Australia has requested to buy twelve MH-60R Multi-Mission helicopters; 30 T-700-GE-401C engines; twelve APS-153(V) Multi-Mode Radars (and) twelve AN/AAS-44C(V) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems," the release said.
The deal also includes 34 embedded Global Positioning System/Precise Positioning Service inertial navigation systems with selective availability and anti-spoofing module and 20 Link 16 multifunctional information distribution systems - joint tactical radio system, the release said.
Australia will also buy in the same package 12 GAU-61 digital rocket launchers, 12 airborne low frequency sonars, 18 AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems, 18 AN/ALE-47 chaff and flare dispensers, electronic countermeasures and other equipment, the release added.
The proposed sale will improve Australia's 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, according to the release.
