The U.S. State Department has cleared a potential sale of five MH‑60R Seahawk multi‑mission helicopters to New Zealand, including spare parts and support equipment for a total of 14 helicopters. The package also contains advanced weapons such as 225 APKWS guided rockets, 65 AGM‑114R Hellfire anti‑armor missiles, 20 GAU‑21 machine‑gun pods and 20 Mk‑54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes, valued at roughly $1.5 billion. The MH‑60R, a naval variant of the Black Hawk family, is designed for anti‑submarine, anti‑surface, maritime surveillance, search‑and‑rescue and fleet support missions, and is among the most capable helicopters in the U.S. Navy’s inventory. The deal is part of New Zealand’s effort to modernise its maritime capabilities in the Pacific region.