Argentine Defense Minister Agustín Rossi announced that the ministry has launched negotiations for the acquisition of two Sea King helicopters for the Navy. Rossi has confirmed that the aircraft would be incorporated through the US program Foreign Military Sales.
To date, the Argentine Navy has four of these aircraft, highlighting the two UH-3H Sea King of the Second Naval Aircraft Helicopter Squadron, currently deployed aboard the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar, within the framework of the third and final stage. of the Antarctic Summer Campaign 2020-2021.
The Sea King was designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft in the late 1950s. It was born after a request from the US Navy for a transport, search and rescue and anti submarine fighting helicopter capable of operating from large naval units.
It has space for four crew members, pilot, co-pilot and two operators for antisubmarine warfare. Its two General Electric T58-GE-8B turboshaft engines allow it to reach a maximum speed of 267 per hour, a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers with a ceiling of 4,480 meters and a range of 6.5 hours. They have the capacity to carry a load of up to 2,700 kilograms, these units being very necessary to operate in Antarctica.