The United States has approved a possible $3 billion sale of 24 additional MH-60R Seahawk naval helicopters to South Korea, a move announced on May 18, 2026, that would triple the Republic of Korea Navy’s planned fleet from 12 to 36 aircraft and sharply expand its anti-submarine warfare capacity against growing North Korean underwater threats. The approval comes less than two months after the ROKN activated its first operational MH-60Rs at Jinhae Naval Base, signaling that Seoul is moving from a limited fleet replacement effort toward a broader restructuring of its maritime warfare posture focused on persistent submarine detection and fleet protection. Read full defense news at this link...
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| Issued alongside a $1.2 billion Apache helicopter modernization program, this potential $3 billion FMS would triple South Korea's planned fleet of MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopters from 12 to 36 units. (Picture source: US Navy) |