RAN gets MH-60R's for new ASW and ASuW capabilities

Navy accepts first two new Seahawks | SBS News

Under a $3 billion deal, the Australian navy will acquire 24 of the MH-60R (Romeo) versions of the Seahawk helicopter to replace older Seahawk helicopters and the cancelled Seasprites.

HMAS Albatross

Hobart class air warfare destroyer

The 24 aircraft will allow the navy to operate eight from the Anzac frigates and new Hobart-class air warfare destroyers with the rest based at HMAS Albatross in Nowra. Romeos come equipped with a dunking sonar - a sonar lowered from a hovering helicopter into the ocean - allowing submarine hunting missions at considerable distance from warships. The navy hasn't had this capability since the mid-1990s. Romeos can also attack enemy ships with Hellfire missiles. The navy has never had such a capability. These aircraft are manufactured by helicopter company Sikorsky with radar, sonar and other missions systems installed by Lockheed Martin at its facility at Owego, New York state.