"Greece is even stronger!," wrote the Minister of Defence, Nikos Dendias, in his post about the helicopters.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Defence Minister Nikos Dendias will attend the Greek Navy's ceremony at the Kotroni air base on Wednesday to receive the three new Romeo MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters.
#ΠΝ75Romeo Καλές προσγειώσεις στα «γεράκια» του @NavyGR pic.twitter.com/E7skdOCrow
— George E. Sideris (Γιώργος Ε. Σιδέρης)🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷 (@GESideris) March 20, 2024
Commenting on this development, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias posted on X, "Greece is even stronger!"
Παραλαμβάνουμε σήμερα, στην τελετή παρουσία του @PrimeministerGR Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη στη Βάση του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού στον Μαραθώνα, τα νέα ελικόπτερα MH-60 ROMEO. Η Ελλάδα ακόμη πιο δυνατή! #elladadynati pic.twitter.com/JGWamvYaH5
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) March 20, 2024
Greece will acquire seven helicopters from the transnational program co-signed with the United States.
The MH-60R Seahawks are the most renowned means of naval operations in both anti-submarine and surface warfare. Their sophisticated detection, strike, and countermeasures systems offer unique capabilities in modern maritime warfare.
#ΠΝ75… Εποχή ΜΗ-60 Romeo στο Κοτρώνι του Μαραθώνα, στην «φωλιά» των AegeanHawk του @NavyGR . pic.twitter.com/Hp770NhH3g
— George E. Sideris (Γιώργος Ε. Σιδέρης)🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷 (@GESideris) March 20, 2024
As government sources told Proto Thema, the interoperability of these helicopters with other Navy units and the Belharra frigates, which will soon join the fleet, is equally important, as is their compatibility with the aeronautical equipment of Greece's NATO allies.
This strengthens Greece's role as a pillar of regional security in the Southeast Mediterranean.
Greece is the seventh country to receive the US Navy MH-60R naval helicopter. In Europe, Denmark operates 9 MH-60Rs. In 2023, Spain and Norway ordered 14 MH-60R helicopters.
Greece ordered the MH-60R helicopters in two phases. Four were ordered in July 2020 and three more in April 2021 through an intergovernmental Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement with the US.
After receiving the first three helicopters, the remaining four will arrive in 2025, completing the purchase of the Greek Navy.
The Navy's MH-60Rs will join the 11 existing S-70B/B6 Seahawks, purchased directly from Sikorsky between 1994 and 2005 and now known as the Aegean Hawks, at the Navy's helicopter base in Kotroni.
