COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark's Defense Ministry says it will purchase nine Sikorsky Sea Hawk naval combat helicopters for 4 billion kroner ($686 million).

Minister Nick Haekkerup said in a statement Wednesday that the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters built by Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin will be delivered in 2016-2018. The company is a division of Lockheed Martin, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Haekkerup says the aircraft will replace the Danish navy's fleet of eight British-built multi-purpose Westland Lynx helicopters.

He says the Sea Hawk — a twin-turbo engine, multimission helicopter also used by the U.S. Navy — was chosen over the British-built AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat.