Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Lieutenant General Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghafili launched in Jubail the Multi-Mission Combat Navy Helicopters (MH-60R) in the presence of Commander of the US Central Command, Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Samuel Paparo, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

During the inauguration ceremony, Al-Ghafili expressed the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ pride to have the Multi-Mission Helicopters (MH-60R) which come in line with the strategic objectives of the future vision of the Ministry of Defense, spurred by the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince.

Al-Ghafili said that this type of aircraft possesses the latest technologies and systems, which will enhance the capabilities of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to face all challenges and threats in the region.

Operational and deployed today with the U.S. Navy as the primary anti-submarine warfare anti-surface weapon system for open ocean and littoral zones, the MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopter is the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter. It is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers, according to Lockheed Martin.

The MH-60R is known as “the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter.” And for good reason – there’s already more than 300 of them operating worldwide.

Six Countries (U.S. Navy, Australia, Denmark, India, Saudi Arabia, Greece) choose MH-60R for their toughest maritime missions

With its first delivery in 2018, the Royal Saudi Navy will receive 10 MH-60R helicopters in total. Primarily, MH-60Rs in Saudi Arabia will operate in conjunction with the country’s next-generation Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships, also built by Lockheed Martin.