Taiwan Says It Can’t Afford New US Anti-Submarine Helicopters

An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter of the Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM 37) lands on the flight deck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) on Feb. 23, 2016. U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marcus L. Stanley

TAIPEI—Taiwan signalled on Thursday that it had abandoned a plan to buy advanced new anti-submarine warfare helicopters from the United States, saying they were too expensive.

Taiwan had earlier said it was planning to buy 12 MH-60R anti-submarine helicopters, made by Lockheed Martin Corp. unit Sikorsky, but domestic media said the United States had rejected the sale as not being in line with the island’s needs.