The U.S. Secretary of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India, involving Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sonobuoys and related equipment, with an estimated value of $52.8 million. This sale includes ASW sonobuoys designed to enhance India’s ASW capabilities, particularly for its MH-60R helicopters. In August 2018, India’s Defence Ministry approved the purchase of 24 MH-60R helicopters. On August 24, 2024, the DSCA approved a possible deal valued at $52.8 million for the sale of sonobuoys and related equipment, including the AN/SSQ-53G High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys, and AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys. These sonobuoys are intended for integration with the MH-60R helicopters to enhance their ASW operations. The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, known for its transformational ASW and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capabilities, has been designed and built to meet U.S. Navy specifications. It is renowned for its ruggedness, power, and reliability, whether operating from shore or at sea.
By April 2019, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had approved the sale of these helicopters to India for $2.6 billion and notified Congress of the proposed deal. In February 2020, India signed a contract worth $2.13 billion (approximately $2.47 billion in 2023) for the procurement of the MH-60R helicopters. These helicopters are intended to enhance the Indian Navy’s ability to detect and destroy enemy submarines operating in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). On July 16, 2021, the U.S. Navy delivered the first two MH-60R helicopters to the Indian Navy at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. As of March 6, 2024, at least four MH-60Rs were commissioned at their home base, INS Garuda in Kochi, in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. These helicopters will form part of the INAS 334 Naval Squadron, under the command of Captain M Abhishek Ram. The MH-60R helicopters have been integrated with the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. These versatile helicopters are equipped with night vision goggles and forward-looking infrared capabilities, making them suitable for night search and rescue operations. They were also deployed during the Milan-2024 exercise conducted by the Indian Navy.
Sonobuoys is a tactical sonar system for transmitting submarine activity, the sonobuoy is a core technology for anti-submarine warfare. Sparton manufactures both active (emitting sound energy into the water and waiting for a return transmission) and passive (purely listening for sound wave transmissions) sonobuoys. The AN/SSQ-53G sonobuoy is a multifunctional directional frequency analysis and recording (DIFAR) system, equipped with passive directional and calibrated wide-band capabilities. It features electronic function selection (EFS) and command function select (CFS) to choose sensor modes before or after deployment, with four acoustic sensor modes and GPS location-reporting capability. The AN/SSQ-62F sonobuoy is a fifth-generation, all-digital active directional command active sonobuoy system (DICASS), offering enhanced GPS capabilities and a maximum operational depth of 460 meters. The AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoy, an older model, serves as a bathythermograph buoy, recording water temperature profiles to aid in ASW operations. The principal contractors for this sale are expected to be Sparton Corporation, based in De Leon Springs, FL, and Undersea Sensor Systems Inc. (USSI), located in Columbia City, IN.
The sale is expected to enhance India’s capability to address current and future threats by bolstering its ASW operations from the MH-60R helicopters. The integration of this equipment into the Indian armed forces is anticipated to proceed smoothly, and the sale will not disrupt the regional military balance. This sale underscores the deepening naval cooperation between the U.S. and India, as both nations continue to engage in joint exercises and enhance maritime domain awareness to address regional threats. The U.S.-India naval partnership has been reinforced through agreements like the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed in 2016, which facilitates mutual access to military facilities for refueling and resupply. This cooperation has been further bolstered by additional logistical agreements, including master ship repair agreements.
