The Navy is set to receive its first batch of MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters in December, officials said Wednesday, a move that could boost its anti-submarine capabilities against North Korean threats.In 2020, the state arms procurement agency approved a 960 billion-won (US$698 million) project to purchase 12 Seahawks from U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin Corp. in efforts to strengthen the Navy's detection and attack capabilities against enemy vessels and submarines.The 19.7-meter-long and 5.1-meter-high chopper with a maximum cruising speed of 270 kilometers per hour can handle multiple missions, including operations of warfare, search, rescue, and medical evacuation.The multi-mission helicopter is designed to fly farther and remain longer in the air compared with the Navy's Lynx and Wildcat choppers in operation, with a maximum flying range of 834 kilometers and can operate for around four hours with a single departure.Once deployed, the Seahawks are set to operate alongside P-8A Poseidon mar itime surveillance aircraft the Navy received in July. Dubbed the "submarine killer," the P-8A is capable of conducting an array of missions, including anti-submarine, anti-surface, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.Source: Yonhap News Agency