The State Department has approved a potential $800 million deal with South Korea for 12 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the foreign military sale on Wednesday.
South Korea has requested the Lockheed Martin [LMT] Sikorsky helicopters come equipped with APS-153(V) multi-mode radars, AN/AAS-44C(V) multi-spectral targeting systems, Link 16 multi-functional information distribution systems – low volume terminals, M-240D and GAU-21 crew served guns and sonobuoys.
The deal also includes 24 AN/ARC-210 RT-1990A(C) radios, 20 AN/ARC-220 High Frequency radios and 20 AN/APX-123 Identification Friend or Foe transponders.
“The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea Navy’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,” DSCA officials said in a statement. “The Republic of Korea will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.”