US Navy Delivers 1st Seahawks to Danish Defense

Three MH-60R Seahawk helicopters departed Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation’s William P. Gwinn Airfield May 10, aboard two C-17 aircraft to join their new home with Air Squadron 723, Karup Air Base in Denmark. This is the first delivery to the Danish Defence, which is replacing their former fleet of British Lynx helicopters with the Seahawk.

Denmark signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the nine MH-60R aircraft in December 2012. As the first FMS MH-60R Seahawks in Europe, their primary missions will be maritime surveillance, anti-surface warfare, force protection and utility transport operations, e.g. supporting NATO in anti-piracy operations. The Danish MH-60R will also provide support to the Arctic and North Atlantic region, patrolling territorial boundaries, fisheries and perform search and rescue.

The MH-60R Seahawk is already operational as the primary U.S. Navy anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare system for open-ocean and littoral zones. The Royal Australian Navy was the first to procure the MH-60R through the FMS program; their 725 Squadron achieved initial operating capability in September 2015.