NOWRA, Australia - The first of 24 new MH-60R 'Romeo' naval combat helicopters arrived at the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base at Nowra on October 14. Transported via Royal Australian Air Force C-17 from the U.S. Navy Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, the new Romeo represents the first of the MH-60Rs to become part of the RAN's 725 Squadron. The Romeos will provide anti-surface and anti-submarine capability to the RAN while operating from the service' Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class air-warfare destroyers.
Selected by Australia on June 16, 2011, as the preferred naval combat helicopter for the RAN under Phase 8 of Project Air 9000, the off-the-shelf purchase by Australia was made through the U.S. Navy via the Foreign Military Sales process. An in-service operational target date for the first two MH-60Rs has been set for early 2015, with the remaining units to be delivered through 2016.