MH-60R Weapon System Passes Technical Evaluation

Released on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Lockheed-Martin has announced that the MH-60R surface and subsurface weapon system has completed successfully the technical evaluation and is now ready to enter operational evaluation (OPEVAL) and fleet introduction.

The US Navy's MH-60R helicopter has been developed to protect the fleet from surface and underwater threats well into the 21st century. Operational evaluation and fleet introduction are expected for later this year. The US Navy's newest helicopter entered technical evaluation (TECHEVAL) in August 2004. The final step, OPEVAL, is expected to begin in May.

Lockheed-Martin has anticipated that it will deliver the first four MH-60Rs to the Navy in December 2005. During TECHEVAL, the Navy's HX-21 and VX-1 squadrons simultaneously tested the operational and development performance of all on-board weapons subsystems, with specific attention focused on the multimode radar, electronic support measures (ESM) and radar warning receiver, airborne dipping sonar and acoustics, and the fusion of multiple data sources to reduce operator workload.

Around 630 flight hours were conducted during the tests at four test ranges located in Florida, California, Maryland and the Caribbean. ESM was tested at China Lake, California, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Radar tests were conduced at the Southern California near San Clemente Island. Periscope and subsurface detection tests were conducted in the Caribbean. Additional testing was conducted at the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland.